A Different Life
by BookWorm37
Summary: As the witch was defeated time was sent back to the day she escaped her prison. What happens when the Land views this as reason to prematurely claim one of the princesses at it's own? CDG and JS Complete
1. It Ain't Easy

A/N: I should NOT be starting this story yet ... but I couldn't help myself. Expect it to be long. Cross with Labyrinth, but you don't need to know a whole bunch about the movie to be able to get along with this story - DG has to learn all about it herself anyway.

* * *

Azkadellia grabbed onto DG's hand, the fear in her eyes obvious to the younger princess. A flash of light later, and the two princesses were back in the cave at Finaqua standing before the Dark Witch.

"LET GO!" the witch screamed again at the younger princess, reinforcing her order with sharp tendrils of dark magick.

"NO!" DG shouted back, pushing back against the darker magic with the combined light of Az and herself.

The battle of magicks took all of thirty seconds before the light overheated the witch and she was melted.

The princesses stared at the mass in front of them with wide eyes before turning to each other. Az was the first to regain her ability to speak. With a smile she said, "You did it, Deej. You didn't let go."

DG smiled back at her older sister, but it was sad and full of regret, "I should never have led you in here."

Az gave her younger sister a fierce hug, "It's not your fault, Deej. What matters is that we've stopped the witch from getting out - _you_ stopped the witch."

DG sniffed, biting back her tears as she withdrew partway from her sister's embrace, not letting go of her hands as she nodded, "Let's go get Mother."

The pair of princesses rushed out of the caves, intent on getting back as soon as possible to the awaiting arms of their mother and father.

Queen Aerenesa knew something was different when her two daughters gave her fierce hugs when they returned from their exploration of the forest surrounding the family's summer home. "My darlings, what is it?" she questioned softly.

It was Azkadellia who responded after sharing a wary look with DG, "Did you know that there was a Dark Witch trapped in a cave about half a kilometer into the forest?"

Aerenesa went pale. She had forgotten about the Witch. She nodded stiffly, "Has something happened involving her, my daughter?"

Az nodded again, much too calmly in her mother's opinion, "She tried to take control of me, Mother." She turned to smile at her sister, taking the smaller hand in her own, "But DG didn't let go."

"She melted," DG elaborated, somewhat pleased with herself for having melted her own witch.

The news was quite a shock to Nesa, but she tried to take it in stride. With a smile she instructed her daughters, "Go inside and rest now, we have a busy night ahead of us - and tomorrow we will be dining with the Mystic Man." She watched gratefully as her children scampered off back to the recesses of the palace.

Melted? Her daughters were more powerful than she had previously thought if they could _melt_ the Dark Witch in a magical battle when her ancestors had only been able to bind her to her cave. A shiver ran down the queen's spine, she would have to instruct Tutor to have them spend more time on defensive magicks in case something similar ever happened again. And perhaps she would seek the council of the Land on the matter.

--

That night, as the palace slept, DG dreamt of a serene clearing in a magickal forest. Inside the clearing were a few things that caught the little girl's attention: the first was a beautiful waterfall, cascading down the rocks to form a pond in front of a cave; the second was a hooded figure sitting on a boulder at the edge of the pond, dipping their feet into the cool waters. She looked down at herself, finding that she was still in her nightdress, and the grass was cool against her bare feet. She was too curious to find the sensation odd.

The figure looked up as DG walked closer, her curious nature getting the better of her yet again. "Don't be afraid, Dorothea Gale. We would never harm you." The noise that issued forth from the mouth of the figure was not that of a solitary voice, as the child would have expected, but rather the sound of hundreds of voices mingled beautifully and dangerously with crashing water and growing trees.

"H-how do you know my name?" little DG asked, her eyes wide with curiosity as well as the perceived danger from the presence of the figure.

"We know you entirely, DG," it responded, rising from its seat to wade deeper into the pool of water. "We have watched you from your birth - even from your conception. You were marked as Ours."

"Who are you?" She felt her feet move closer to the pond through no will of her own.

"We are the Land, dear child. The lesser known, greater feared side, of course. There are two sides to every being, dear child: light and dark. Even land has these two sides. It has been too long since both sides of our being have been heard in this kingdom. Darkness is now confused with evil." The figure tilted its head to one side as if examining the princess, "But you know better."

Her mouth opened and the words tumbled out before she could stop them, "Evil is what happens when darkness is misused." Mother never had understood her view on things.

Now her feet were wet with the waters of the pond, and she was still moving closer to the avatar of the Land standing now scant meters away.

It held out its hand to her - dark and fair at the same time, both smooth and calloused, the long fingers beckoned for the princess to join with them. She hesitated, unsure whether she should answer the call. "Take our hand, child. You have been marked, but now you must be bound to us. Give us voice."

As if compelled by a force out of her recognition, DG took the hand that was offered to her.

--

Azkadellia felt rather than heard what was happening in her sister's room, right next door to her own. Quickly and quietly she rose from her bed, donned slippers and robe, and slipped from her room into DG's. She found her sister levitating about three feet off her bed, and _glowing _with a sort of dark radiance that frightened the older princess.

She reached out, unsure whether or not it was really wise to touch her sister, but knowing that she had to wake her. She wasn't quite positive how she knew that she had to wake DG, but part of her was convinced that she did.

The younger princess's eyes flew open and she grabbed Az's hand from her chest, pulling the older girl onto the bed with her as DG fell back onto the mattress with a thump. DG snuggled close to her sister, her little body shaking from the magickal residue left over from the bonding.

"Deej?" Az asked softly, gathering her sister into her arms. "What happened?"

DG shook her head, instead burrowing her head further into Az's neck and sending the images of what had happened through the link they had created some time ago with their magicks.

As Azkadellia began to finally understand the gravity of what had happened, she held on tighter to her sister, giving her what comfort she could.

They stayed like that, eventually falling asleep again, until the morning rays brought in a maid to wake up the younger princess.

--

"Nesa stop fretting," Ahamo chided his wife of twenty annuals as she paced back and forth in their sitting room. "There's nothing you can do."

Aerenesa gave her husband a pained look. That's what came from marrying an Other Sider. He knew only of basic magickal rules and practically nothing of the laws that governed her life. "That's where you're wrong, Ahamo. I felt her binding, but it's not yet complete."

"You can stop it?" Ahamo didn't know much about magick, but he knew enough about power to know that those with it know what they want and don't like being defied. He didn't want his wife to get hurt if she pissed off the land. Another part of him reminded him that he didn't want his daughter hurt - or bound to dark magick - either.

The lavender eyed queen stopped, contemplating her plan of action. Could she stop it? No. Not without killing DG. But she could halt the progress and keep the binding loose and inconsequential. Her mind drifted to her brother, also bound to the dark side of the land. She didn't want DG to end up like him. A part of her, however, knew that it was inevitable.

"I can try."

--

Nesa was calm as she waited until she was alone with her youngest, rocking in their special place, before she did what she had to do.

DG rested her head on her mother's chest, dozing lightly before the dinner with the Mystic Man that would take place in a few hours. Her mother's arms tightened around her small frame as she whispered the words that were supposed to save her daughter from the life the O. Z. was unfairly asking her to lead: "I wish the Goblin King would come and take you away, right now."

The little girl's eyes flew open at the words and the telltale swirling of magick in the air around them. "Mother?" she questioned softly, fear entering her voice as she tightened her grip on her mother's gown, her eyes fixated on the magickal being that had materialized before them.

He was majestic and powerful, his bearing radiating magick like his cloak. His arms were crossed in annoyance and anger. "Aerenesa, if this is some sort of practical joke you should know that I am less than amused," the man said in a clipped fashion.

The Queen shook her head, her voice clear despite the look of pain he saw in her eyes, "I would never joke about something like this, Jareth. She has been bonded to the Labyrinth."

Jareth narrowed his gaze at his sister before turning his attention to the little girl, five annuals old. His gaze softened as he studied his niece, obviously frightened out of her wits and radiating magick - both dark and light. She looked exactly like her grandmother.

"Perhaps it would be best to explain the situation to the rest of your household before I leave with her," Jareth replied, it was obvious that his patience with her had run thin. "It won't due to have one of the princesses disappear in the middle of the day, now will it?"

Nesa stiffened at the accusation overriding his words but nodded anyway before rising, never once relinquishing her hold on her daughter's hands.

DG's wide eyes looked at the man who was following them closely, unsure still of who he was or what was even going on.

--

Az knew who he was as soon as the group walked into the informal sitting room where she sat talking to her mother's chief advisor, Ambrose. Because she knew who he was, and she could see how petrified DG was, she had a good idea about what had happened.

Getting up quickly, the older princess detached her sister from their mother's arms and cradled her in her own. DG clung to her sister, her mind opening itself to Az's in an attempt to find out what had happened to make their mother wish her away.

"Children so young do _not_ become bonded to the Labyrinth," Jareth's voice was still clipped. He waved a hand and a tumbler full of amber liquid appeared. He took a long drink from the cup as his sister sat close to her advisor.

"Nevertheless, she has been bonded, brother," Aerenesa said softly. "Can't you feel it?"

Jareth plucked a crystal ball from the air and focused its energy on the young princesses, seeing more in the crystal depths than their mother would ever know. He nodded once in agreement with his sister, "She has been bonded to the Land."

Azkadellia gasped, her eyes gazing imploringly at their mother. Jareth saw the movement and said sharply to Ambrose, "Advisor, I believe the Princesses would better serve their time greeting their guests."

Ambrose bowed low, first to his Queen and then to her brother, before calmly saying, "Come your highnesses, the Mystic Man just arrived and I'm sure he has wonderful things to show you."

After the trio left, Nesa turned to her brother, "Now what have you decided, brother mine?"

* * *

A/N: You know the drill. Now, just know that if you review I'll do my best to get another chapter up within the week.


	2. Tears and Rain

Azkadellia kept her hold on her younger sister's hand as they followed Ambrose toward the garden the Mystic Man was walking through with his litany of Tin Men.

By the time they reached the garden, however, DG could hold back her tears no longer and ran away from her sister and the stuffy advisor.

Tears blocked the child's vision and she ran straight into what felt like a wall.

"Whoa, there," a deep voice timbered above her as a pair of large male hands came down to steady her little body and stop it from falling. "Where are you off to in such a hurry?"

DG looked up through her tears at the large man with kind eyes. She felt something stir within her that she didn't understand but knew was coming from the Land. All she knew for certain was that this man would give the best hugs and he might be able to make her forget everything for a little while.

She nearly fell onto his now crouching form, wrapping her little arms tightly around his neck as she cried long and hard into his shirt. The man was at a loss of what to do aside from trying to comfort the child as best he could.

Long after DG had stopped crying she held onto the man's neck in her vice grip and he did nothing to loosen her hold on him.

It wasn't until he heard someone coming up behind them that the man even rose to his feet, taking the distraught child with him as she refused to be parted from him by even a millimeter. DG didn't look up from the man's shirt, knowing that whomever it was most likely was going to make her let go. She just wanted to feel safe for a little while longer.

The newcomer tried to hide a laugh in a cough, only to receive a glare from DG's comforter. "You need somethin', Zero?"

The man now identified as Zero shook his head, "I don't know, Cain, I didn't know you had a soft spot for little girls."

Cain's glare intensified as DG tightened her grip on his neck and buried her head further into his shirt collar. "Little girls running around in tears tend to illicit a response, Zero."

"DG, there you are!" Ambrose said as he and Azkadellia approached the pair of Tin Men and their glaring contest, one of them clutching the missing princess protectively. DG finally looked up from Cain's shirt, her blotched cheeks telling the advisor and her sister all they needed to know.

Az took a step forward to remove her sister from the Tin Man's arms but at the slight shake of DG's head, she stopped. "You had us worried sick, Deej. You can't just run off like that."

DG didn't respond, she just nodded, tears filling her eyes again. She gave Cain one last hug before letting him go and hopping out of his arms. Walking sedately over to Zero she smiled up at him before driving her small foot into his big one. "That's for making fun of people for being nice!"

--

Nesa stiffened as she felt the bond between DG and the Labyrinth flex and reach for the third party that would complete the bonding. Quickly thinking, Nesa did her best to keep that second bond loose and fragile. She'd do whatever it took for her daughter to have a chance to live a normal life.

--

Dinner came and went in a haze for DG. She couldn't really pay attention to anything aside from that she'd soon have to leave this place with an uncle she barely knew. All because the Land had decided that she would be its voice.

She'd have to leave Azkadellia.

"Your Highness?" a kind voice pierced through her thoughts. She looked to her right where the Mystic Man sat talking with her mother. "Your daughters look distraught tonight."

The Queen straightened her back and responded to the unasked question, "Yes, they are. My brother, King Jareth of the Labyrinth, has requested that Princess DG stay with him for a time."

The Mystic Man raised his eyebrows as he felt one of his Tin Men stiffen behind him, "Is that so? And what do the princesses think of that?"

Azkadellia put on a brave face as she smiled at the Mystic Man, "My sister shall learn a great deal from our uncle and his court. The change of scenery will be beneficial."

The Mystic Man smiled at her response, "I'm sure it will, highness."

DG looked back down at her plate as the servants removed them for the next course. She didn't understand why they thought taking her away from Az would be "beneficial" at all.

Cain's heart went out to the youngest princess, sitting at the table with the most dejected look on her face that he had ever seen.

--

Jareth bowed his head to his sister and her family before holding out his hand for his five annual old niece to take. "Until the solstice, then," his voice was calm despite the litany of curses that flowed through his mind. How dare his sister use him like this! Now, of all times!

Azkadellia and DG shared one last look, promising their love to each other before Jareth and DG left in the blink of an eye. The elder princess looked at the spot her sister had disappeared from, her heart crying out for her sister. When the tears came, she began to run not even looking at where she was until she came face to face with DG's door. The princess pushed the door open and ran over to collapse in tears upon her sister's empty bed.

--

DG, at the same time, was looking in curiosity and a little fear at the goblins that were inspecting her with the same curiosity.

"Your highness?" one of the taller goblins asked, bowing to Jareth.

"I have brought you a princess and heir," he replied, his voice tired and bitter. As he sat on his throne he addressed his niece, "DG, this is Coriander, one of the castle guards, she will give you a tour of the castle and answer any questions that you have."

The hobgoblin bowed again, "Yes, sire. Come, princess," she held out her hand to the child, her voice and smile kind, "I'll show you to your rooms. This all must be quite a shock for you."

DG took hold of the hobgoblin's hand, her eyes flickering to her uncle who nodded with a reassuring smile. "You must be exhausted, DG, I'll be up to say good night later."

The little girl nodded, trying to suppress the surge of loneliness she suddenly felt. She wanted her sister!

Before she knew it, DG was standing alone in a bedroom fit for a princess. Tears started spilling out of her blue eyes as ahs collapsed in a heap on the bed, not caring if Coriander or anyone else saw.

--

Wyatt Cain grunted as he lifted his pack off the cart. After two weeks one the road with the Mystic Man he was finally on leave and able to go see his wife and boy. A smile came to his weary face as he thought of his son, Jeb, now almost one month old.

He frowned when he noticed the lights were off inside the small house on the outskirts of town. He'd sent a letter last week to Adora to let her know that he was coming home. His heart pounded as he instinctively reached for the six-shooter his father had given him on the day of his graduation.

"Adora?" Wyatt called out into the house as he opened the door. He dropped his pack and turned on the light to find a note propped up on the table.

As he set his gun down he picked up the note and read the words, his face going from concerned to panicked to livid as the words sank in:

_Wyatt -_

_Jeb's across the way with your parents. I can't do this anymore. I never wanted to be a mother and I don't even know how to be one. Don't try to find me - I left the necessary paperwork at the courthouse for you to sign ending our marriage and dissolving my rights to your son._

_- Adora_

It was cold and heartless. Unconsciously he crumpled the note in his hand, his eyes drifting back to the door and the swiftly approaching sunset beyond it. If he hurried he could make it to his childhood home before the light from both suns was completely gone.

Without a second thought he picked up his gun, holstering it again, and ran.

When he burst through the door a few minutes later, he found his mother rocking his son in the same chair she had once rocked him to sleep in. She put a finger to her lips, silently telling him that Jeb was sleeping and he needed to be quiet.

Wyatt strode over to where his mother sat by the fireplace before bending down to look at his peacefully sleeping son. He looked back again at his mother and she shook her head, "She left 'im on the stoop. She was gone when Hunter found the bassinette." Her voice was soft as she whispered the news to her son.

"How long?" he whispered back. He'd only been gone two weeks!

"'Bout a week." One of her hands disentangled itself from the baby's blanket and rested atop Wyatt's where it lay on Jeb's arm. She didn't say anything else, but silently offered her support to her oldest boy in whatever happened.

A lone tear made the trek from Wyatt's eye down the curve of his cheek to splash on his shirt collar.

* * *

A/N: Not as long as I originally intended, but I figured it was safer to upload this now instead of making you guys wait another week for the next chapter. I'm in the middle of moving right now and this is the last week of one of my summer classes (the next one starts next week). Calling it hectic wouldn't do it justice.


	3. Sad But True

"I had no other choice, Ahamo!" Nesa defended herself to her husband as he got dressed for bed. The tension between the couple was thick as cream as Ahamo tried to come to terms with the fact that his youngest daughter was now no longer his.

"You could have at least told me about it before you went and did … _that_!" His voice wasn't particularly loud, but it got the anger across just the same.

"You make it sound like I sold her to the mines. Jareth is my brother."

"One that you hardly ever talk about and whom you haven't seen since our wedding day."

Nesa fell silent, refusing to respond for a long interval. When she finally responded it was in a soft voice, "Jareth is the King of the Unwanted, Ahamo, but he is a good man and a good king. He will take good care of our daughter as she learns about the dark magick within her."

"You gave her to him, Nesa. She's not _our_ daughter anymore."

--

Jareth massaged the bridge of his nose with one hand as he tried to ease the headache that was taking over his head. A headache named Aerenesa. How dare she use his position like this! Just because her daughter had inherited a strong dark magick.

As he lounged in his favorite chair in his private study he let his thoughts wander and somehow they ended up on what had transpired some three months before his sister's call: a runner had completed the Labyrinth. It wasn't a particularly uncommon occurrence to have a runner complete the challenge to win back the right to the wished away child, but this runner had been different.

"_But what no one knew was that the king of the goblins had fallen in love with the girl …"_

His mind could hear her speak the words to her baby brother as he stood crying in his crib. It seemed the youthful vixen didn't realize how truthful her words were.

Jareth's body was on autopilot as he walked through the halls of his lonely castle. Perhaps having his niece there would lift some of the gloom of the place. He entered DG's room, nodding on his way in to Coriander who stood in the hall.

When he looked on the exhausted child sprawled across the bed his heart was filled with a fierce need to protect and love her. Already his mind was drawing conclusions about what Nesa's wish had done: his sister's words had given him a daughter and an heir. Truly, DG was not Toby, but she would be a wonderful and loving Goblin Queen.

He approached the bed and gently removed her shoes from her feet before waving a hand to change her into a white cotton nightgown. She stirred when the magick replaced her clothing and Jareth covered her up with the soft comforter.

In response, her uncle sat down on the bed and began to hum to her, one hand stroking her hair in a fashion not unlike what his mother used to do when he couldn't sleep as a lad. That had been before the dark side of the land had chosen him.

The little princess quietly down and fell back into a deep slumber as his voice sung soft words into the night air. Jareth kept on singing, letting the song comfort him as well as the child who was now his own.

--

Days passed into weeks as Azkadellia and DG became more and more depressed as the separation inflicted upon them ranged on. Neither princess could quite understand why DG's binding with the Land could have such an impact upon them. It just didn't seem quite fair.

Jareth was able to look past his own depression at the loss of his ignorant bond-mate to see the failing spirits of his niece. It didn't take him very long to realize what was ailing her.

"DG, would you like to see Azkadellia again?" he asked one morning at breakfast when the two were alone save for their personal guards.

His niece immediately lit up, "When?"

"Whenever you wish," he replied, his voice calm and loving as he produced a mirror for her to look at. "This mirror will allow you to view her wherever she is, through the link you already have with her."

DG frowned as she began inspecting the mirror in her hands, "No one was supposed to know about that."

"I assure you that your mother and father do not." This seemed to put DG at ease as he continued, "I am only aware of it because of our shared bonding with the Labyrinth."

"How does it work?"

"Look inside yourself and find the link to your sister. When you have it pull on it and look into the mirror. It will show you where she is, no matter how much distance separates you two."

"Can she see me, too? Can we talk to each other?" Dg spouted off the questions faster than Jareth could answer them.

He smiled at how happy she looked at the prospect of speaking with her sister. "Yes, you'll be able to talk to her and she will be able to speak back as long as she is close to a mirror or a body of water."

DG closed her eyes tight, wanting to make sure that this gift actually worked. When she opened them again, after finding her link to Az, she looked at the mirror and saw her sister sitting in front of her vanity, brushing her hair while tears fell from her brown eyes.

"Az!" the younger princess said happily.

A squeak emitted itself from Az's mouth as she dropped her brush. Her eyes were wide in wonder as she looked through her mirror to her sister. "Deej?"

"I miss you," DG said as she nodded. "Uncle Jareth showed me how to do this. We can do it any time we miss each other."

"I miss you, too, Deej," Az replied. Her eyes flickered down to her brush, picking it up and continuing to brush her hair. "I wish I could come visit you."

DG looked at her uncle, who seemed closed off to her now that she was amused by the mirror. "I wish you could, too. You'd like it here, Az. There are so many fun places to go exploring in the Labyrinth."

Az just smiled sadly, knowing her wish and her sister's would never come to pass if Mother had anything to say about it.

--

"Coriander?" DG asked later that day as she skipped along one of the paths in the garden, her guard right behind her.

"Yes, your highness?" the hobgoblin replied, an amused smile on her face as she watched the much happier princess skip along.

"Why do all the other goblins and hobgoblins have names like Squet and Brinn when you have a name like Coriander? It doesn't make sense."

The guard smiled slightly. Squet and Brinn were the guards that watched over the princess while she slept. "I've a secret."

DG stopped in her tracks and turned to her daytime guard. "Tell me."

Coriander leaned in closer and whispered into the princess's ear, "I'm not only hobgoblin." She leaned back with a smile. "My grandmother is a gnome. She named me."

DG's eyes were wide in wonder at the new information. "That's so cool."

The guard just smiled and led the princess back to the palace for her naptime.

--

As time when on, DG grew to love the Labyrinth and it's lands as much as she loved Finaqua and the Northern Island. It was a part of her, as much as her heart and lungs were and she found as she grew up that she couldn't live without it. And as she grew to love her new home, she also grew to love her uncle as the surrogate father that he was.

Jareth, for his part, loved his niece and gave her everything he could to help prepare her for the day when she would have to take her place as Goblin Queen. Doting on his niece allowed him an escape from the pain of his still mending heart, and DG made it oh so easy to dote upon her.

Soon after he gave her the mirror, they developed a routine of sorts: in the morning they would eat breakfast together; followed by DG's lessons on Goblin law and history, while Jareth dealt with miscellaneous paperwork his clerks thought could only be dealt with by him; the pair would take the mid-day meal together in one of the gardens when the weather permitted; this would be followed by the lessons Jareth felt could not be delegated to anyone other than himself and a select few of his top advisors; dinner would be held privately in the family dining room; and after dinner the two would bid each other good night so that DG could talk with Az and so that Jareth could finish up whatever tasks were left to be done. It was a good schedule, and it served them well as DG learned how to be a princess, and the roles she would carry as the future Goblin Queen.

By the time DG was fourteen annuals old she had learned as much Goblin history and law as she could, started sitting in with her uncle while he met with his generals and the populace, become quite proficient in sword play, hand-to-hand combat, and she improved her aim with both a pistol and a bow. Her magick was growing in leaps and bounds and Jareth sent for the best tutor in all of the Underground to teach her the intricacies of her abilities. Her skill as an equestrian was phenomenal, as was her skill at dancing (probably a perk to having fencing lessons as well).

All in all, she was shaping up to be the perfect princess … except for her dispassionate stance on the noblemen who had begun to trickle in to try their luck at gaining her hand in marriage.

The strange thing about it, though, was that she had no idea why she couldn't even bring herself to _like_ these men that came to see her. She was supposed to be a normal adolescent with hormones, right? So why was it her libido only decided to rear its head when she was sleeping? It seemed almost every night she dreamt of a faceless man who could curl her toes with a look and had the most comforting embrace she had ever felt. It was only then that her cold heart would stir.

--

Azkadellia also excelled in her studies and responsibilities as Crown Princess of the Outer Zone. Because her kingdom required less of a war-like atmosphere, her studies did not include nearly as much self-defense as DG's studies did, however she was also required to learn court etiquette to a degree that would have any goblin keeling over in boredom.

She was also forced to entertain a broad number of potential suitors, and Az even entertained the idea of accepting one of them briefly, but in the long run her dreams won out and she realized at the age of twenty-two that she didn't want to marry just because it would be politically convenient. Azkadellia wanted to marry for love.

The only one she found she could confide in anymore was DG in their nightly talks as they prepared for bed. Her sister was the only one who knew of her desire to ditch her protection detail, if just for a morning, so that she could go exploring the forest surrounding Central City they was that the duo used to as children. Just as Az was the only one who knew of DG's nightly dreams, and her complete lack of romantic interest in her own suitors.

"It's not the bad, Deej," Az tried to sooth her sister one night before bed. "They're only trying to feel you out right now. Later on they'll start seriously courting you. But not for a couple of years, yet."

Deej growled in frustration, "It's not that, Az. It's just … I look at them and all I see are their political aims and their motives for wanting to be my Prince Consort. I feel nothing for them."

"Not even friendship with some? Or anger? Hate?" Az furrowed her brow at that. How odd.

Deej shook her head solemnly, "Nothing."

"How odd."

--

A/N: So ... I've decided to name each chapter after a song in my somewhat vast collection. Any questions, comments, concerns, please keep them to yourselves until the end of the ride, at which time I would like to direct your attention to the small button on the bottom left hand of the screen (some call it blue, others call it purple, but I don't care). If you click on it there will be a space for you to write all questions, comments, concerns, and anything else you might want to say ... just make sure there's no flames. I do not respond kindly to being told that "You're characters are so bad reading this gave me a headache." I'd rather you tell me what you don't like so I can try to fix it.


	4. Good Times Gonna Come

Wyatt was astounded at how quickly his son grew into a giggling, running, chattering toddler. A toddler without a mother.

Just as Adora had said, he had found papers of divorce and custody waiting for him at the courthouse. He held his head high as he walked through the town of people who had known him since he was a lad and who were now whispering about his misfortune. Even then he was unsure what he would have done if not for his parent's - especially his mother's - support in raising Jeb.

As he waited outside the school building with a few other parents for Jeb's day to end, he thought back to when his son had just turned four. Before he had realized that he was different.

_Wyatt watched his sun chase one of the younger pixies that had lived in the forest beside his property for centuries. Jeb looked so happy and content; he was unknowing of what it meant to have a mother's love and therefore didn't know that he missed it._

_Each morning Wyatt was struck with a sense of loneliness as he looked over at the empty side of the bed where his wife used to sleep. Each morning he found his heart hurting a little less than the day before._

"_Daddy!" Jeb giggled as he ran into his father's legs, giving them a massive hug. "I love you."_

_His throat constricted. Before his son had been born he'd never thought hearing those words would hurt so much. "I love you, too, Jeb," he whispered in reply._

_The little boy looked up at his father, "Daddy sad?"_

_Wyatt shook his head, "No, Daddy's not sad. Daddy's happy."_

_Jeb grinned a toothy grin, "Jeb wanna go see Grandma and Grandpa and Hun'er."_

_His father chuckled at the lisp Jeb had when he said the dog's name. "All right, kiddo. We'll go after you wash that dirt off your hands and face. Don't want Grandma getting mad at me again."_

_Jeb giggled at his father, rushing into the house. "Catch me, Daddy!"_

Now it was a miracle if Jeb laughed. Ever since the other boys his age had started teasing him about not having a mother.

Presently, the school doors opened and Wyatt straightened up, waiting for the familiar dirty blond head to appear. At nine years old Jeb was both fiercely independent and stubborn. Just like his parents.

Wyatt still wasn't sure how he was going to tell him that he'd been offered a post in the Queen's army as a Colonel. He still wasn't sure how he'd tell his son that he had accepted and they were leaving at the end of the week - just after school ended for the summer.

--

Jareth stood on the balcony that was attached to his tower. His face was turned into the summer wind as he thought on all that had happened in the past nine years.

He thought on his niece, and her avid refusal to even consider one of her numerous suitors for consort. He thought on his sister and brother-in-law, and their reaction to DG when he had taken her to visit them on that first solstice. Mostly, though, he thought on Sarah.

Even now, nearly a decade later, his heart ached to have her close to him. He ached to be able to hold her in his arms again and dance as they had before. In her crystal ballroom.

Sarah would love DG, he knew. She'd love her fire and spunk, and the way she got all of the different races living within the Goblin Kingdom to do what she wished. Sarah would love her as he loved her: as a daughter. Perhaps one day they could be that family he had dreamed of so often during cold, long winter nights that seemed to drag on and on leaving him empty and void.

"Uncle?" a voice asked from the doorway.

Jareth turned at the sound of his niece's voice. So soft and musical, and slightly worried. "Yes, DG?"

"It's almost time for the reception, Uncle." This time he was sure he could sense a hint of resentment laced into her voice. "Are you ready?"

Catching her eyes with his he countered, "Are you?"

She nodded, looking down. "I'm sorry, Uncle. I _am_ trying, I just can't help that I feel nothing when I look at them."

Jareth frowned at her words. He had known that she was having trouble liking the multitude of suitors but this sounded more serious. "Explain."

DG sighed and looked around at the view of her kingdom. "I look at them and try to feel something for them other than as a citizen of the Goblin Kingdom, and I can't. No friendship, no hate, nothing. It's like a void in my heart." She finally looked at her uncle, her bright blue eyes questioning, "What's wrong with me, Uncle?"

Jareth had a sinking feeling in his stomach at her words but shook his head, "I think I know, dear one, but for now we must try to get through tonight. We can think on this afterwards."

The crown princess nodded, her hands hiding themselves in the pale pink silk gown she was wearing. When she looked up again at her uncle, her battle face was in place.

He offered her his arm, "Onward, then?"

She took the arm and the pair began to walk down the spiraling staircase. "Onward."

--

Jeb spent the whole ride to the palace and his new home ignoring his father. How could he do this to him! Just before the solstice, too! It wasn't fair.

_Grandma had tried to hide her tears when she had said goodbye. "It's not forever, Jeb. We'll see each other again soon."_

"_Promise?" the little boy had asked._

_She nodded, "I promise. Your grandfather and I will come up to Central City for your birthday, all right?"_

_Jeb looked down stiffly. "But what about the solstice? I was supposed to watch the moons rise by the lake with Grandpa."_

_His grandmother hugged him tightly, "I'm sure the palace has plenty of spots for you to watch the moons rise on the solstice with your father."_

"_But it's not the same."_

_Her teary smile answered him, "It never is, Jeb. Never forget that I love you."_

"_I love you, too, Grandma. I just wish I could stay with you instead of having to do with _him_."_

_Her face turned hard in an instant, as did her voice, "He has a name, Jeb. And he's doing this to better your life. Think of all the opportunities you'll have at the palace. You might even get to meet the Crown Princess Azkadellia."_

_He looked down, chastised, "I'd rather stay here with you, Grandpa, and Hunter."_

_His grandmother just hugged him close._

And now he was on his way to the Shining City on the Hill. A new school, new friends, a new life. A different life. He'd rather just have his old one back.

--

As they descended the steps and made their way to the ballroom where DG's guests were waiting to celebrate her fifteenth birthday with her, she thought upon how much her life had changed since she'd come to the Labyrinth.

It had all solidified for her on her first trip back to see her parents when she was five. The trip had been nothing short of a disaster as far as she was concerned. The only redeeming aspect had been her ability to spend time with Az before her mother had placed a ban on any future visits.

What should have been a happy, joyful time for any family - the winter solstice - had turned into a twelve day celebration filled with tension, curt words, short tempers, and memories best left forgotten. Needless to say when Ahamo had asked Jareth to never come back with DG again, there was no love lost.

_DG stood next to her uncle, tears running down her young face as she locked eyes with her older sister. She didn't want to leave Az again, but it seemed like there was no other way._

"_I believe it best if you do not come back for the summer solstice," Prince Ahamo said softly to his brother-in-law. "I think it would be best for all involved."_

_Jareth's face was devoid of emotion as he addressed his sister and her husband, "Best for you, you mean. DG and Azkadellia are another matter entirely."_

"_I am their mother," Aerenesa said with a tight, clipped tone, "I believe I know what's best for my daughters, and I believe I know how to protect them."_

"Daughter_. And you're not doing what's best for them, Aerenesa. You're doing what's least painful for you." There was no mistaking the anger in Jareth's voice as he spoke. "Princess Azkadellia is welcome in the Labyrinth at any time. However, I believe it best that DG and I don't come back."_

It had been a painful good-bye, made less so by the promise of another evening talk with Az through their bedroom mirrors as they prepared for sleep.

DG held her head high as the Goblin Chancellor announced her and her uncle to the guests awaiting. Birthday parties with a room full of strangers never held any promise of fun.

--

Azkadellia looked at the necklace in front of her. It really was a beautiful piece: two ballerinas locked eternally in a spin, their toes pointed down, and their hands clasping each other. The morutanium had been a little difficult to procure, but after months she had finally convinced Ambrose that it was a good idea to give her enough to craft the necklace and its twin.

They had been made in secret, but it had been worth it. Mother and Father didn't know, and she had no intention of telling them. The necklaces were to be a secret shared between the sisters, crafted by one of the master metal craftsmen in the realm, and already filled with spells of protection and well being.

Az fingered the chain that she already wore. All she had to do now was wait for DG to put hers on and add her own magick to the metal that was to be the visible reminder of their link as sisters.

Softly she started singing, her hand gliding over the pendant softly, "Two little princess dancing in a row, spinning fast and freely on their little toes …"

Tears came unbidden into her eyes: she should be there with her sister. She should stand by her and celebrate her birthday with her. The birthday marking her coming of age as a woman and a Crown Princess.

There was a knock on her door. Az hid her necklace underneath her gown, wiped her eyes, and closed the box where DG's necklace rested.

"Come," she said in the best princess voice she could muster.

Her father walked in to her sitting room. "Can I come in?" he asked softly.

Az nodded, turning back to look at her mirror. "What is it, Father?"

Ahamo looked down at his hands. They held a small book nervously. "It's about your sister."

The princess snorted at that, turning back to face her father, "I thought I no longer had a sister."

His eyes flashed hurt before he nodded his head. Instead of directly answering her question he said, "Today is her fifteenth birthday. I know you still speak with her."

He held out the book to his eldest child as he stepped closer to her. "Can you give this to her? I want her to have it. It's from the Other Side, and it might come in handy."

Az took the book in her hands gently, peering at the title she read _The Art of War by Sun Tzu_. She looked up questioningly at her father and he explained, "They aren't just words of wisdom for war, but for life as well. Especially for running a kingdom."

He hesitated as he took a step back, unsure where to go now that Azkadellia had the gift for DG. "Tell her that I love her," he near whispered before rushing out of his daughter's room.

The princess looked again on the book in her hand before glancing again at the box where her own present lay on a midnight blue velvet bed. Wordlessly she put the book beside the box.

* * *

A/N: Don't expect this too often, but after I posted on Sunday, I have this flurry of activity that was my muse high on caffeine. You all reap the benefits, I suffer the lack of sleep.


	5. Cat People

DG groaned as she took her shoes off revealing toes already turning black and blue. "If I ever see another suitor again, I might let the goblins attack their kidneys," she swore.

She heard a giggling coming from her mirror, "That's what you get being born a princess."

DG turned to face her sister in the mirror, "How are we supposed to live with this? My toes were stepped on so many times I think it'd be safer to cut them all off. A lot less painful, anyway."

"It'll get better, baby sister." Az smiled warmly, "Not a baby anymore, though, are you? Happy birthday."

DG smiled back, "I think you're one of the only people who've told me that today that I actually believe. I'm tired of hearing insincere wishes."

"Not too tired to open your presents, I hope," Az teased.

That caused the younger princess to perk up. "Presents that I might actually like? Cool. Never too tired for those."

Az held them up to the mirror and DG touched the frame, letting a small bit of magick to the work of opening the portal between the two rooms. Az passed them through, her hands grasping DG's after the presents were safe on the birthday girl's side.

Wordlessly she smiled at her sister before letting go and letting the portal fall dormant again. The magick was too risky to keep open for too long.

DG opened the box and gasped at the necklace within. She picked it up, "Oh, Az, it's beautiful. Was the morutanium hard to find?"

Az shook her head, bringing her own matching necklace out of hiding, "Not at all. I've already put some spells for protection and well-being in them, all they need now is a bit of your power to bind them together. A sign of our binding as sisters."

After putting the necklace on, DG looked at the effect in the mirror only to see Az grinning in approval. The younger princess put her hand to the pendant, putting in some of her own magicks to mingle with her sister's. Both pendants pulsed with a dark blue light before going back to normal.

DG turned her attention to the book. She raised an eyebrow, looking questioningly back up at Az. "It's from Ahamo," Az explained. She had stopped using the terms Father and Mother with DG some years ago. "He said it's wisdom from the Other Side he thought might be helpful to you."

Tears came unbidden into her cornflower blue eyes. "He said to tell you that he loves you," Az whispered, unsure it was the best thing for DG to hear.

The younger princess nodded, putting the book down again. "Tell him I said thanks."

A knock was heard on DG's door and she turned to glance at it before turning again to her sister, "I love you, Az. Thank you."

"I love you too, Deej. Happy birthday."

"Night."

"Goodnight."

The mirrors on both sides returned to normal. "Come," DG said as she slipped her necklace beneath her gown to rest over her ribcage below her breasts.

A guard - Tinny, she thought her name was - walked in with a drawn face. "What is it?"

"Your uncle needs you," the guard said. DG was on her feet in an instant, slipping her feet into a comfortable pair of boots. "This way."

"What happened?" DG asked again.

Tinny looked at her princess before replying with a question of her own, "What do you know about the one called the Lady of the Labyrinth?"

DG faltered as she thought about the question. "I know my uncle lost his heart to her when she went back Aboveground after a short visit here right before I came here."

"There is a bit more to the tale than that, your highness."

"What does the Lady of the Labyrinth have to do with my uncle right now?"

"She has returned."

DG stopped dead in her tracks. "Tell me what you know," she demanded from the guard.

"I'll tell you as we walk to the infirmary." Tinny compromised. As the pair set off again the guard told the parts of the tale that she knew: "I didn't meet the Lady of the Labyrinth until the Battle of the Goblin City, but I have spoken with those who were with her throughout the Labyrinth. She wished away a child in a fit of jealousy and when the King appeared to offer her payment for the child, she demanded the opportunity to run the Labyrinth.

"She bested him at nearly every twist and turn, learning the secrets of the Labyrinth with an ease few others have ever shown from the Other Side. Other Siders prefer to believe us myth and legend. But not that one." Tinny's voice took on a captivated note, "The Lady Sarah was - and is - a special one. So is Master Toby, her brother that she wished away."

DG waited patiently for Tinny to continue as they passed through numerous corridors and stair cases.

"When she left, she left the King broken hearted and the Labyrinth in disrepair."

"Why is she back?" DG quickened her pace, feeling the need to get to her uncle's side as quickly as possible so that she could support him.

"No one knows."

--

Jareth wasn't sure to cry in anger or joy. Or despair.

Sarah was back in the Underground, yes, but she was very close to death and he was not sure he had the power to save her.

As he was busy trying to convince himself that the pallor of her skin and the massive bruises were just tricks of the light, and her breaths weren't becoming more and more shallow, a hand touched his shoulder. He looked up into the worried eyes of his niece.

"I had always thought that she'd be more commanding," DG said, giving her uncle's shoulder a squeeze.

Jareth snorted softly, "You should see her when she's awake and at her best."

"I intend to." She pulled up a chair next to her uncle's and sat down. "But first we have to get her better, now don't we? Tell me what happened."

Jareth took one of Sarah's limp hands in his own, forcing himself to look at the beautiful brown hair now matted with clotted blood, and the face now covered in cuts and bruises. "She was in a car crash. She called out to me as the cars hit, just before she fell unconscious. Her wounds are too deep for me to heal alone - far too deep for even the most skilled healer."

DG put her hand on top of Jareth's and Sarah's joined hands. "What can I do?"

"Your connection to the light is greater than mine. I believe the answers lie there." He looked at his niece, his eyes begging while his voice said, "I will not force you to do this, DG. It could be dangerous for you and I'm not sure it will even work."

"I know that. But we have to try anyway." She wasn't sure whom her words were meant to reassure, but she said them anyway.

"I'll guide you through it, although I have only ever healed children."

DG nodded and closed her eyes, her hand tightening over Jareth's and Sarah's as she fell into the deep well that was her magick.

It was akin to falling into a deep hole, like the oubliettes that littered the Labyrinth. She searched thoroughly for the necessary skills and magick to heal Sarah's deep wounds. Using her physical connection to the dying woman as a grounding point, DG let her psyche fall into her body the way her tutor had taught her. With the magick firmly in hand DG felt herself fly through Sarah's body, healing the internal and external wounds as she went. Until that moment DG had no idea what she was willing to do for her uncle. But somehow, she knew that if this woman died he would die as well.

Jareth watched as his niece's magick caused a glow to fill Sarah, leaving behind nothing but the beautiful woman that he remembered from shared dreams and crystal viewings.

DG gasped when she let go of Sarah's hand, her job done. The patient was breathing clearly, her physical injuries completely gone. However, as she tried to stand up, she wobbled, her knees too weak to support her weight.

"DG?" Jareth asked, the worry evident in his voice. Sarah may have been back and now safe, but that didn't erase his concern for the amount of magick DG had just expended.

She waved him off, "I didn't think I used that much of it. I just need to sleep, is all."

Jareth nodded, still concerned but pushing that to the side for now. He'd check in on her in the morning after she'd rested and he'd had a chance to see to Sarah. He motioned for one of the guards standing at the far side of the room to escort her back to her rooms.

DG sagged in relief against the Elvin guard she vaguely remembered being named Halan. He practically carried her all the way back to her chambers and the care of Squet and Brinn and her hobgoblin maid, Lulu.

She didn't even remember her head hitting the pillow.

--

"Jareth?" a raspy voice asked from the bed. He looked up, his neck popping from the sudden movement. Apparently he had fallen asleep the night before watching Sarah.

"Sarah," he replied helping her sit up on the bed.

"What am I doing here? What are _you_ doing here?" She asked groggily as she looked around the unfamiliar room. She could only assume she was in the Labyrinth because Jareth was there and because she was pretty sure there was a goblin standing guard in the corner of the room.

"It's my castle. I'm allowed to go where I please," Jareth said in a cocky tone. "As to why _you_ are here, Sarah: you called and I came."

She seemed surprised and confused. It took a few seconds, but everything that had happened the night before came rushing back: driving home from the theatre where she worked backstage, the drunk driver, and calling out to the Goblin King to save her when it was apparent that she wasn't going to avoid a collision.

"Thank you," she whispered, knowing it wasn't enough but the only thing she could say. Vaguely she wondered how she was completely unharmed if she had been in a car crash the night before.

As if reading her mind he replied, "Your wounds were too deep for me to tend to myself, but with my niece's power and my skill we were able to heal you."

Sarah nodded, registering the words but still in a daze at the turn of events. "Will you thank her for me?"

"You can thank me yourself, you know."

Sarah and Jareth turned to the sound of the voice to find DG standing in the doorway behind a servant's cart that held many different breakfast items on it. "I thought you might be hungry," she said by way of explanation.

Sarah eyed her from head to foot, finding that the niece looked remarkably like the uncle in the matter of dress. DG was clothed in a flowing poet's shirt that allowed for a wide range of motion in her arms, topped off with a waist cincher that accented her waist nicely, and a pencil skirt with a slit up the front that revealed deerskin boots that matched her cincher. Her hair was up in a ponytail to keep it out of her face, and there was a thin chain around her neck that disappeared into her shirt.

DG was very well put together and beautiful in her young age. Sarah looked down at the marked difference her own appearance made: She was wearing a fading _Star Wars: Episode Five _tee-shirt and jeans with splashes of paint on them from painting various sets throughout the years. She knew there were bags under her eyes, and her hands were rough and calloused from work.

Although she knew there was no reason to do so, she couldn't help comparing herself to Jareth's niece, who was now loading up a plate with a variety of finger foods for Sarah to eat. When she held it out, Sarah visibly pulled back, remembering what had happened the last time she had eaten in this realm.

"It's not going to hurt you, Sarah," Jareth said, watching her reaction carefully. "There's no peaches on that plate and certainly not any enchanted peaches."

Hesitantly Sarah took the plate and set it on her lap. DG gave her uncle a quizzical look, "You gave her an enchanted peach from Great-Grandmother's garden?"

Jareth shrugged, causing DG to continue, "That's cheating, Uncle, and you know it."

At that Jareth pointed at Sarah, "She cheated, too!" he huffed like an indignant child.

DG just shook her head as she fixed a plate for her uncle. "I have an appointment with General Huffypants about the situation with our _guests_ that might be staying with us for an extended time."

Sarah nearly choked on the bite of toast she had just bitten into. Huffypants?

Jareth raised an eyebrow at his niece, "He _has_ a proper name, you know."

DG raised her eyebrow right back at him, "I think Huffypants suits him better than Dugan." She handed her uncle the plate of food and kissed his forehead. As she left she called back, "Don't worry, I'll be nice to Devon."

* * *

A/N: TA DA!! This was for those of you so eagerly awaiting the return of Sarah. You know the drill: you want more then click on that loverly button in the bottom left corner. ...It's almost a light shade of periwinkle ... if periwinkle looked like lavander.


	6. Better Days

A short while later, Jareth left Sarah in the very capable hands of the Chief Healer, a Halfling of Gnome and Elvin decent by the name of Leena Paisley.

He made his way to his chambers in order to change his clothes before thinking on all that had transpired. Wearily he sat on his bed after changing into something a little less flamboyant than the costume he had worn to DG's birthday party the night before. He closed his eyes and prodded his magick.

It seemed healthier today than it had in nearly ten years.

A wistful smile graced his lips as he thought about what it all meant: Sarah had returned and the bonding was moving forward as it should have done ten years prior. His heart was no longer empty.

He opened his eyes in determination as he was brought back to the issue raised to him the night before: DG's emotions. She had admitted to him that she felt nothing for the men she saw around her - just as he had felt nothing for the women that had been flocking around him for the past ten years. It could only mean one thing and one thing alone. Bonding interference.

Sarah hadn't been supposed to win back the child all those years before. She was supposed to stay with him and be his queen - the Labyrinth had decided on it. The bonding had already begun, even before they had danced in the Crystal Ballroom made of dreams and faeries' webs.

The bonding had already begun.

Jareth knew the pain she would suffer if she left him after the bonding was complete. He knew and he refused to put her through that pain. So he had eased the strings on the binding, freeing Sarah to leave him, and taking the burden entirely upon himself.

The cost: his ability to feel anything at all toward women unrelated to himself.

And now, it seemed, DG was suffering the same consequences of a tampered binding. He could already guess at who the culprit was this time.

With a look of majestic, righteous anger Jareth rose to his full height, ready to confront his sister for her crime against her once-daughter.

--

"Maybe if I had more _say_ in the matter I wouldn't be so adverse to having them here!"

Servants could hear the loud voice of their princess boom through the halls even through the large, solid oak doors that separated her and General Devon "Huffypants" Dugan from them.

"It's not that you don't have a say in the matter, your highness, it's just that you didn't want to listen when I approached you with the issue."

"Don't put this back on me, General! You _know_ I was helping my uncle reconcile the wants of the mining union with the needs of the companies in the West. You approached me about the issue right before I had to leave to help him inspect the mining conditions." To say DG was mad would be a gross understatement. She was so far beyond livid she couldn't see the signpost marking "Livid" anymore.

"That's hardly the issue at hand," General Dugan argued. "You just don't want to have to deal with the suitors now that they're all here."

DG glared at him, and lowered her voice to a reasonable level, "I _can't_ deal with them. You need to send them all home."

Dugan shook his head, "I can't do that, your highness. They are here now and they will remain until they decide to leave themselves, or until you find your consort."

She sighed in irritation, crossing her arms like an irate child, "Can you at least make sure that they don't interrupt my daily schedule? I'd rather not have to have them tripping up the staff as well as myself if they _must_ be here at all."

Dugan felt a smile pull on his lips, "I'll see what I can do, Princess."

She grudgingly smiled in return, "Thanks, Devon."

--

Queen Aerenesa and Prince Consort Ahamo were in the middle of a military briefing when she felt the magick currents change. She halted the general who was speaking with a motion of her hand, just as her brother appeared in the back of the room.

There was some mumblings among the generals and colonels present at the sight of the imposing man - they all knew who he was, of course, having heard stories about the Goblin Kingdom since they were lads … but none had seen him in person before.

Jareth gave them all a haughty look with his mismatched eyes that told a tale better left forgotten. He turned his attention to his sister and her consort, "We have an urgent matter that requires an immediate audience with you, Queen Aerenesa." His displeasure was poorly masked behind the coolly spoken words.

The Queen arose, motioning for her husband to remain seated. She gestured toward an inner chamber, "By all means, King Jareth, we will give you audience immediately. Please continue in my absence, gentlemen."

When the siblings were alone, Nesa cast a silencing spell over the room as Jareth rounded on her. "You _interfered_ with DG's bonding!" The fact that it was not a question was added to by how vehemently Jareth said the line.

Nesa made no attempt at denying it. "It was my only chance to mitigate the damage caused by the melting of the Dark Witch."

Jareth scoffed, "Mitigate the damage? You have no idea what sort of damage you caused with your meddling hands, woman!"

Eyes blazed in anger as she turned on her brother, "I did what I thought _best_."

"You _thought_ best. Do DG and me a favor, sister: _stop_ thinking." He shook his head in anger and disgust, "If you knew what you had condemned her to, you wouldn't be so quick to defend your actions."

"And _you_ do know what she's going through?"

"_Yes_." The hissed out reply was not the one that she had expected and Nesa gaped at him in surprise. Jareth sneered at her, "You have condemned your flesh and blood to live without a heart until her unknown bond mate is found and returned to her side and the bond completed."

Nesa sat down on the settee with a thump. Her eyes were vacant and hollow as the gravity of the situation crept upon her. "Sweet Lurline, what have I done?"

--

Az watched the meeting of military minds with mild disinterest from her perch on the balcony. It was the same old story as it had been for the past five years: King Jackson Le Monté was using his much larger, meaner military forces to heckle farms on the eastern border between the two kingdoms. The Eastern Guild was in dire need of Ozarian military assistance if it was to hold the border.

She sat up in surprise when she felt the magick currents change to accommodate the arrival of her uncle. Azkadellia had never seen him so agitated before - even when one of her weekend visits to his realm had coincided with a child being wished away and the wisher refused to run the Labyrinth to win the child back.

The Crown Princess watched as her mother and uncle secluded themselves in the inner chamber, and she felt the silencing spell that was put into place. Worried about what might have happened, Az couldn't concentrate on what the military commanders - even the doubly notable Colonel Wyatt Cain - were telling her father.

Cain was notable for two reasons, really: the first, he was really, really good looking; and the second, he was given his rank as a reward for some great, decisive military action that no one would talk about but everyone knew the vague description about. Some claimed that he had risked the life of his own son to make sure that a set of King Jackson's spies were captured, while others claimed he took on ten of the enemy soldiers single handed and captured them all. Az wasn't sure what to think - all she really knew was that Wyatt Cain looked damn good in a dress uniform.

Presently her mother came out of the room, her face drawn and pale. The Prince Consort, the unofficial commander of the Ozarian army, briefly explained to his wife the actions that had been suggested. The Queen stiffly nodded in approval. "See to it. Dismissed."

Fleetingly Azkadellia wished that she could have the free range of motion denied her and granted to her sister. How she would love to spend one day out of doors without a battalion of soldiers accompanying her.

--

Free time was something that DG knew very little about; being the Crown Princess, and all, her days were pretty full of lessons and meetings. But two months after her birthday, she was _finally_ able to ditch the majority of her guards (somehow she could never ditch all of the goblins as they preferred to hide in shadows and were quite good at it) and ensconce herself, with the book her father had given her, in a corner of the currently unused, ever changing outer stone maze of the Labyrinth.

The words she read within the pages did truly seem wise to her - she'd have to ask her uncle about the time in which they were written.

Once she had turned the last page DG thought about how she was going to get back out of the oubliette … she could always levitate and let the Helping Hands pass her up to the surface, or she could navigate the tunnels outside the oubliette, … _or_ she could attempt to teleport herself directly into the throne room and freak the shit out of the 'baby snatching squad' as she so fondly called them.

She grinned mischievously. Teleportation is was, then.

Of course, she wasn't expecting that teleporting into the throne room would give her a front row seat to her uncle attempting to remove Sarah's tonsils with his tongue.

DG looked away in embarrassment and teleported again before they could see her, this time to her room. This had the added benefit of making the maids who were cleaning her room screech in surprise and shock. Maybe there was something to this teleportation thing after all.

--

Cain watched his son during his lessons in hand to hand combat. Jeb was coming along nicely in the palace school that also taught the Princess Azkadellia self-defense. He would be eternally grateful to the Prince Consort and the Queen for that: all of the children of those housed at the palace were given an education on par with the nobility that lived in Central City.

He hated having to tell his son yet more bad news. The news had just arrived from the local police station: Adora had been arrested and was demanding to see her ex-husband and son.

How was Wyatt supposed to tell his son that his mother wanted to see him after all these years? The boy was eleven and had a mind of his own … how was he going to take seeing his mother again? This wasn't a request that Wyatt felt he had the right to ignore. He knew in his heart and mind that Jeb would never forgive him if he kept this from him.

The proud father smiled as his son approached him after the lesson's end. "Dad," he said, with a nod. "What'd you think?"

"You did good, son." Wyatt shifted his weight nervously, motioning for his son to follow him as he began to walk away. "I need to speak with you about something."

"You getting deployed again?"

Wyatt shot him a look and Jeb shrugged, "You're usually only this nervous when you're about to tell me that you're leaving. Or something bad happened." He gave his father a wary look, "Something bad didn't happen, did it?"

His father shook his head, "I'm not sure how to answer that. I guess it depends on how you look at things." He cleared his throat, not looking at his son as he said, "I was just contacted by your mother. She wants to see you."

Jeb stopped walking and his father turned to look at him, his face blank. "Why?" the harsh whisper was filled with an anger that Wyatt could all too well understand.

He shook his head, "I can't tell you that, Jeb. I don't know."

"Where is she?" the young boy asked, his gaze locked with his father's.

The older man hesitated before answering, a sure sign to his son that the answer was not good. "In prison. She was caught smuggling aliens into the O.Z."

Jeb turned to gaze at where Princess Azkadellia walked arm in arm with her mother's advisor, their heads close together as they spoke about one thing or another.

"She can rot for all I care."

* * *

A/N: Ooooohhhh. Betcha weren't expecting _that_, now were you?

This may be the last chapter for a while because my internet is down and I won't have access to the computer I'm posting this from for a while. That's why this one was posted so quickly. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it, if nothing else, I'll try to have something up within two weeks.


	7. Hero of the Day

The months passed in relative normalcy. Or, at any case, they developed a sort of routine that made a passing glance at normalcy before bypassing it completely in favor of controlled chaos. Quite normal for the Goblin Kingdom.

The suitors that came to see if they could catch the Crown Princess's eye were multiplying. Quickly. It took about three months, but Sarah finally couldn't contain her curiosity any longer and commented on the men to Jareth.

"They're DG's suitors," he replied blandly as he sat sprawled over his throne.

"You mean to tell me that you're trying to marry off your fifteen-year-old niece!" Sarah was enraged with feminist indignation. She tapped her foot as she stood in front of the throne, hands on her hips menacingly.

Jareth gave her a look that clearly said he thought she was acting childish. "Really, Sarah. I don't expect her to marry any of those dolts."

"Then why are they here?" If she wasn't expected to marry any of them, then why were they even there in the first place?

"Because that's the way things are done among the monarchy, Sarah. In your own world the monarchs married off their children far younger than fifteen," he reminded her sharply as he sat up straight.

Sarah snapped her mouth shut. She hadn't looked at it that way, before. She was saved having to answer by the arrival of DG's personal guard, Coriander.

She bowed to her king and his bond-mate, "Your highness, something is wrong with Princess DG. She's convulsing in the practice yard, sire."

--

Azkadellia had finally done it: she had managed to escape from the palace and go for a walk by herself in the forest that guarded the front of Central City. She breathed in the cleaner air and smiled. It felt good to be by herself for a change. To not be surrounded by ten guards in a palace safer than any place else in the realm. Danger made her skin tingle in delight. She hadn't done anything remotely dangerous since that day in the forest when DG was five annuals old and together the sisters had melted the Evil Witch of the Dark.

She walked for almost an hour before deciding that it was probably best that she return to her room before her guards decided that her nap had gone on too long.

About half-way back, she heard a twig snap. She turned, her magick flaring before she caught sight of a rabbit hopping out onto the pathway. The princess smiled at the animal, her defenses dropping.

It was then that the net was dropped.

--

"Princess, you _must_ keep your balance steady or your enemy will cause you to drop like a tree in a thunder storm!" the Captain of the Royal Guard told his pupil as they worked on hand to hand combat. Squee smiled tersely as Princess DG tried to readjust her balance again.

He approached her and tried to push her over, but she twisted her body and they began the fight again. It ended with DG on the ground. Squee nodded, "Better."

DG glared at him, pushing up on her elbows before her eyes rolled back in her head and her arms fell out from under her.

"Highness?" Squee asked, a worried frown creasing his hobgoblin features.

Her back rose off the ground as she began to convulse violently, a sharp light protruding from the center of her torso in a violent stream of colors.

He turned sharply to Coriander, an order on his lips for her to go get the King, only to find her already running into the castle in search of their monarch.

King Jareth approached swiftly, his bond-mate and the guard only steps behind him. He knelt in the dust beside his niece, noticing first the wildly violent colors streaming from her torso. His hand covered the light with his own magick, calming the irate magick as best he could.

"Uncle?" he heard a whisper from the ground next to him.

He gave her a questioning look, his hand removing itself from her torso with a motion, "What is this, DG?"

She pulled on the chain around her neck, pulling up the necklace that lay hidden. Jareth fingered it, feeling the mixed magicks within. He raised an eyebrow but said nothing as he let it fall on the outside of DG's shirt and vest.

"What happened?" he asked her as he helped her sit up.

She stood swiftly, her eyes revealing how close she was to panic. "Az is in danger."

--

Queen Nesa was in conference with the commanders of her army when she felt two rifts in the magick current surrounding the Central City palace.

She looked up in shock as both her brother and younger daughter appeared. Both were in a rage. Jareth stayed back as DG stalked toward her mother.

The princess placed both hands on the table in front of the older Queen. "Where. Is. Azkadellia?"

Nesa frowned, "In her room, resting before the ball tonight."

DG brought down a fist on the table, causing her mother to start. "_No_ she's _not_."

The Queen motioned for two of the guards to go check on her daughter. "Dearest, calm down."

She shook her head, backing away from the table and looking at each one of the men and women sitting there. "The greatest military commanders in the O.Z. and you couldn't even keep your own daughter safe." DG glared at her coldly, "You want to know where she is, Mother? She's been kidnapped by King Le Monté's spies."

"How can you know that?" one of the Colonel's at the table questioned.

DG turned to face him and was momentarily struck by what she felt. There was a stirring in her heart. She wasn't sure what it was, but as she had never felt anything other than passing notice in any man before, she was inclined to take notice. "We share a bond," DG said shortly.

The guards returned with worried looks on their faces. "The Princess Azkadellia is missing," one of them confirmed with a shake of his head.

Jareth spoke for the first time since he had arrived at the meeting, "There is a platoon of Goblin soldiers ready and waiting to follow Princess DG and rescue Princess Azkadellia." His eyes flickered to his sister's, "With or without your own men."

Queen Aerenesa bristled at the slight, her back straightening. "Colonel Cain," she addressed one of her best commanders, "You will take another platoon of soldiers on this rescue mission and provide the necessary retaliation to King Le Monté's forces."

"Yes, your highness," Cain said, a lump rising in his throat at the prospect of spending time with this slip of a girl who made his heart beat faster than it had in years.

--

A cup of water was sloshed her way, causing half of the contents to spill. "Drink up, Highness," the mocking voice said in the prevailing darkness.

Az stiffened, her bound hands raising the cup to her lips. The collar she was wearing may be blocking her own magick, but it could not block the magick coming from the pendant she wore. A pendant that would not allow her to be poisoned by ruffians sent by an enemy king.

"I should warn you," she said after quenching her thirst, "They will come for me. And when they do, you will beg for mercy."

Laughter met her words. "Why beg for mercy from a Queen whose only power is the Prince Consort behind her?"

The bound woman shook her head, "She is not the one from whom you will beg."

--

The ride east was long and tiring for all involved, and the princess was no exception. Although she tried to hide it, after two days hard riding, with at least a few more days to go in order to reach the location DG could feel the other pendant pulsing from, the princess was sore and desperately yearned for a hot bath.

When they stopped for the night DG motioned for Coriander, General Dugan, and Colonel Cain to approach. "We're getting close," DG told them. "Princess Azkadellia is being held a little north east of where we are now. We should be able to reach the hideout with a day and a half hard riding."

Dugan nodded, "I'll send scouts to check for enemy combatants in the area." He gave her a playful smirk, "Wouldn't do to have you in danger when your uncle left you in my charge."

"You forget yourself, General," Coriander replied for the Crown Princess, "She is within my care as much as she is yours."

"I'll let my men know that we're getting close," Cain said, trying to ignore the banter between the two goblin soldiers.

DG nodded, sending him on his way. She turned her attention to Dugan, "Is there pool nearby where I could bath? My body's not used to such hard riding."

Dugan nodded, his mouth quirking into a smile again, "I've already sent Hopper, Ink, and Blot to look for a suitable location, your highness. They should be back soon."

"Thank you, General. For now, I believe I'll see to setting up a silencing spell around the perimeter of the camp. Care to join me, Coriander?" Although it was phrased as a question, both the princess and the hobgoblin knew that DG would not have been allowed to travel the perimeter of the camp alone.

--

The men watched the princess travel with her guard in a circle around the camp. There was no denying that the young woman was beautiful, with the promise of becoming a curvy woman with sinewy limbs and graceful movements. As the men set up their tents Cain heard a number of them comment on what they'd like to do to the princess if given the chance. Very few of the comments heard held any decency in them.

Cain thought again on the young woman - no, _girl_ - that he was getting to know over the long ride to rescue her sister. He remembered her as a little girl, from a time before when he was a Tin Man and she the youngest princess of the O.Z.

For some reason unknown to him, the very sight of the now Crown Princess of the Goblin Realm sent his heart racing in a way it hadn't even done when he had been courting Adora. She was beautiful, as the men said, with the ability for both compassion and cruelty that made his skin heat. Cain didn't just want to know her, he wanted to possess her.

What scared him the most was that he didn't even know why.

--

DG stepped into the water of the pool that Blot had found, using a touch of magick to warm the waters to a comfortable level. It wouldn't hurt the fish and other marine life, but it would allow her aching muscles the ability to relax again. She picked up the bar of soap Coriander had given her, knowing that it, as well, was safe for the marine life, and a razor she had retrieved from her bag. After she was clean, DG relaxed in the warm waters, letting her mind wander.

When she felt like a prune, she got out of the water and dried off, brushing her hair into a braid, before dressing in a loose pair of un-dyed linen pants held in place by a drawstring, and a white breast band that allowed her freedom of movement as she stretched out her muscles.

Sufficiently limber, DG lowered herself to the ground, intent on communing with the Labyrinth.

"_Why do you seek us out, our Daughter?" the Land asked her in the musical voice that often visited her in her sleep._

_DG approached the female avatar, "I believe I have found my bond-mate."_

"_You have," the Land confirmed, cocking the avatar's head. "Why do you seek us out?" she repeated._

"_I wish to know why he was chosen," DG said, her voice firm._

"_It was necessary that there be a third to complete the bonding. He was chosen because of the past that never was, and the future that never will be."_

_Her heart beat fast as she digested this news. "Show me."_

"_Memories given cannot be taken away - even of what has never been and never will be."_

"_Show me," she repeated her demand. She added softer, "Please. I need to know why he was chosen."_

"_Very well."_

_Immediately DG was given fifteen years worth of memories of events that never happened and never would happen because of different choices made. She saw herself let go of Azkadellia; she saw her beloved sister kill her in her sleep; she saw Wyatt Cain's family taken from him by a sneering man named Zero; she saw the rich, fertile lands of the O.Z. fall into disrepair and turmoil at the hands of the Evil Witch of the Dark; she saw herself free Cain from his tin suit prison; she saw Cain protect her at all costs; she saw the friendship between herself, Cain, a half-brained Ambrose, and a Viewer called Raw._

_She saw this all, and she cried._

With a gasp DG's consciousness was back in her body and she looked around the clearing with misty eyes. _The past that never was and the future that never will be._

And because of it, Wyatt Cain had been chosen to be her life-mate.

* * *

A/N: Someone asked if the timeline featured in the miniseries would play a role in this. Now you know. Just wait until Wyatt finds out. Tehehe. No, no, really, just wait until the shit hits the fan, so to speak.


	8. What I'm Fighting For

Cain was positive that the princess had red puffy eyes when she came back from taking a bath, and he yearned to go see what was wrong. Unfortunately, when he had approached her, her guard had glared him off with a shake of her head.

It wasn't so much of a surprise to him that she was moody and withdrawn all the rest of the way to where Azkadellia was being held captive.

That day dawned bright and cloudless, but as they rode northeast, the sky became overcast and grey.

The night before, DG had made up her mind about something: she wouldn't let the memories of what never was and never would be affect how she approached Cain. She was going to try to befriend him and develop the relationship that she remembered having in the dark non-future the Labyrinth revealed to her.

The princess nudged her horse to trot beside the Colonel, deciding now was as good a time as any to apologize for her mood the past few days.

He gave her a look, "Don't worry about it, Princess. You're under a lot of pressure - you're sister is in enemy hands, anyone would be upset."

DG felt extremely guilty for using Az as the excuse for her moodiness, but she had no desire for Wyatt Cain to have the memories that were now hers to keep. She turned her head slightly, "It's the most horrifying feeling to know that someone that close to you is in pain. Because of our bond …" she took a ragged breath before she continued, "my body took on a life of its own and started reacting violently to her terror."

Wyatt winced in sympathy. He was a little surprised by her next words as the conversation took a shift, "Do you have any family?"

"A son. He's about four annuals younger than you - name's Jeb."

The conversation turned to more pleasant things while the group approached Azkadellia's prison.

DG pulled her horse up short in front of the mountains that separated the two kingdoms. She pointed to the north, "She's over there."

Wyatt didn't question how she knew this time, instead he motioned for one of the soldiers to approach. "I want you and three other men to go search those foothills for the Princess Azkadellia."

"Yes, sir," the soldier replied.

DG addressed him, "Three goblins will go with you - their noses are much more sensitive than humans' and they'll be able to smell magick if it's cloaking the cave." She motioned for three of the smallest goblins Wyatt and the soldier had ever seen to come forward. "This is Ding, Bing, and Ring. They have the best tracking skills in the Goblin Kingdom."

The little goblins puffed up at the praise of their princess. The one called Bing bowed slightly to the humans, "It would be our honor to hunt with you."

The soldier smirked in a bloodthirsty manner - _no one_ touched a crown princess and came out unscathed. "We'll get along fabulously, I'm sure."

The princess dismounted and whispered some words to her subjects, passing them an object Wyatt couldn't see, and they replied with solemn nods before she straightened her back. DG inclined her head to the three goblins she knew to be mischievous and _very_ good at their job, knowing that they would follow her orders out to the best of their abilities, "Good hunting, my brothers."

After the group of six had disappeared into the shadows surrounding the foothills, Wyatt asked her, "What did you give them?"

She smiled coldly, "I told them to give a message to Azkadellia's kidnappers. A message they will not be able to ignore."

--

As DG and the troops moved closer, Azkadellia felt calmer and more collected, despite the grave danger she was in. She knew what happened to her in the next few hours wouldn't matter all that much once DG got a hold on the bastards.

Despite any threats they made, and the crude gestures they tormented Az with, none of her kidnappers had set a finger on her. Yet. She wasn't sure how long her good fortune would last.

When the crystal ball rolled into the cave, stopping in front of Azkadellia, she knew it was no accident. As the hologram appeared, the kidnappers turned with their guns trained on the image of DG. She looked imposing in her dark, royal garb, a horse whip in one hand.

"This is Crown Princess Dorothia of the Goblin Kingdom," the recorded message ran, her eyes cold, "You have in your possession, my sister, Crown Princess Azkadellia of the O.Z. This will serve as your only warning: Release her _now_, unharmed, into the custody of the soldiers now waiting at the entrance of your hideout or suffer the wrath of not only the O.Z. but the Goblin Kingdom as well.

"Kidnapping a princess is an act of war and will be treated as such. You have been warned. Release her, or suffer the consequences. I will personally see each and every one of you castrated before being drawn and quartered - alive."

The hologram went dark. Azkadellia would have laughed at her sister's tone of voice and facial expression if it hadn't been so serious a situation. The kidnappers looked at each other before looking at the now silent, still crystal ball. One of them took his gun and shot the crystal into a thousand fragments.

That would serve as their answer, then. Ding watched from the shadows, keeping one eye on the princess and the other on the men as his brothers went to report back to Princess DG. Now his services would be required to make sure the enemy soldiers didn't lay a single hand on Princess Azkadellia. He would lay down his life to keep her safe.

--

DG was waiting in the recently set up command tent with Wyatt when the scouts returned. She turned her head to look at them, noting distinctly the absence of Ding.

Resolutely, she turned back to face Wyatt, "We have their answer. Prepare your men to give them ours."

"And what would that answer be?" the colonel asked.

"Ding had explicit instructions to stay with my sister and keep her safe if the kidnappers refused to set her free directly. Now, we show them that it wasn't just an empty threat." DG rose to her feet, intent on spending a moment alone in conference with her uncle before all hell broke loose.

Her companion rose to his feet with her, "Where are you going? It's not safe to go off alone."

DG stopped and looked at the older man, his concern causing her heart to beat even faster. "I'm not going to be alone, Mr. Cain, Coriander will be with me - and I'm going to go ask my uncle his advice on a certain … matter," she responded.

Wyatt raised his eyebrows, waiting for her to elaborate. When she didn't he asked testily, "_What_ matter?"

"The proper way to castrate a man while inflicting the most pain possible," she replied with a blank face. At the surprised look on his face she continued, "I don't make empty threats, Colonel, and those men down there with my sister were all warned that castration would be the result if she was not freed immediately."

"Then by all means," he nodded once to her before shouting out orders to his underlings. This looked like it could end up being very interesting.

Wyatt just hoped that none of his men pissed off the princess too much.

--

Jareth and Sarah were enjoying a friendly game of chess when he heard a snort from behind him.

"You let her box you in quite nicely, Uncle," DG said from her vantage point of the mirror overlooking the table where the couple played.

Sarah turned with Jareth, a smile on her face, "How goes the sibling retrieval?" she asked good naturedly.

DG shook her head, "Not well, I'm afraid. The kidnappers have chosen to disregard my warning that they release Azkadellia immediately." Her eyes met her uncle's, "I need your help, Uncle."

"I'll just go make sure the goblins haven't burned the throne room down," Sarah said as she left, sensing that her presence wouldn't help matters that needed discussed between the niece and uncle.

Jareth also rose and approached the mirror, "What do you need, child?"

DG looked away, unable to face the concern that she found in her uncle's gaze, "I've found out who my bond mate is, Uncle." Her eyes filled with tears as she looked back at him and whispered, "And he's wonderful. More than I could ever have hoped for."

"Then why tears?"

She took a ragged breath before replying, "I asked the Labyrinth why he was chosen."

"And?" Jareth prodded when she fell silent. "The response?"

"She told me, '_Because of the past that never was and the future that never shall be_.' I … made her explain further." The tears started falling down her face as she forced her eyes to hold her uncle's powerful gaze, "There was so much evil in those memories. So much destruction."

Silence reigned for a few moments after her statement before Jareth finally repeated, "What do you need of me, child?"

DG took in a deep, cleansing breath before she answered, "I need your advice on what to do about him." Before he could answer she added, "I can handle the kidnappers just fine - even if Le Monté was among them I could still be able to carry out my threat without blinking an eye. He'd be a casualty of war. But _what_ in the name of Ozma am I supposed to do about _this_?"

Jareth felt his mouth twitch into a smirk despite the severity of the situation. When he had his mirth under control he replied, "Do you remember your first lesson in formal court dancing when you had to wear full court dress?"

DG nodded, her cheeks tinting pink at the embarrassing memory of tripping over feet and sore bottoms. It was a day she didn't anticipate forgetting any time soon.

Her uncle nodded once at her reaction, "Let _him_ lead."

--

It was nearly sundown when Cain was finally able to track down the princess and get her to eat something.

"It wouldn't do to have you collapsing from exhaustion and lack of food," he chided.

DG rolled her eyes, eating the fruit he offered her slowly. "True, but I have no intention of collapsing before I get my sister back."

Wyatt raised an eyebrow at her statement. "You're so sure you'll get her back?"

The princess nodded adamantly, "Whole and unharmed. Ding knows what to do to keep her safe."

"And what will you do?"

Her blue eyes met his and she spoke while she held his gaze, "For now, we wait. General Dugan told me there's a number of enemy soldiers moving towards us from the east - Le Monté's men. Azkadellia will be out of there before they reach the mountain pass."

He wanted to believe her - to trust in her - but his instinct as a soldier won out. "You have to accept the possibility that that may not happen, Princess."

"It's DG, and _no_ I don't." Her gaze was laced with sparks of magick, both light and dark. "I'd pull her out right now if any good would come of it."

"Then why don't you?" He wasn't sure why, but Wyatt got a thrill each time he questioned her and forced her to think more strategically.

"Because there's a collar around Az's neck that's controlling her ability to use magick. I cannot pull her out without causing her great pain unless she helps."

"How much pain?"

DG set down the piece of fruit in her hand and raised an eyebrow, "I'm told it feels something like having your intestines ripped out of you while a thousand needles poke them before setting them on fire."

"Ah. So, not an option, then."

--

It was nightfall when the reinforcements arrived. Az pretended to be disinterested, but she knew that the commander could probably see straight through her façade.

She heard the commander dismount form his horse and bark some orders to his lackeys as his heavy footfalls approached where she sat bound. Azkadellia made sure that the first look he had of her showed a straight back and little to no fear. She refused to cower before a terrorist.

A pair of black combat boots entered her line of vision, followed by a chuckle sounding in her ears as one of the boots lightly kicked her leg. "So this is the Gale bitch that's been causing such a commotion."

Az knew that voice. Her eyes remained trained in the distance as she replied, "You will eat those words, King Jackson."

King Jackson Le Monté smiled sinisterly as he bent down to yank at the princess's hair, forcing her to look at him. "Your mother is in no position to make me do so," he replied in a whisper.

The captive's eyes blazed with hate, "As I've told your men - it's not my mother you have to fear."

He chuckled again, letting go of her hair and stepping back to examine the cave. "I did notice that there were goblin standards out there among your mother's troops. Your sister, with her connection to the dark side of things, will make a lovely addition to my collection of war-brides."

To his great surprise Az started laughing at his boast. She shook her head at him as her eyes danced with a dark sort of mirth, "You will suffer the same punishment as your men, your _highness_. My sister has more power than you'd ever know what to do with. You cannot control her, let alone _capture_ her."

Jackson's cool façade hid the fear that shot down his spine. "I have heard of how the two of you melted the Evil Witch of the Dark. But there are ways even to control a witch of extraordinary power."

Az cocked her head to one side as if she was judging his character. At long last she simply replied, "A witch is flesh and blood, but the Land can never be destroyed. How do you intend to destroy the Labyrinth that protects her? Stab it to death like you did your father?"

She was expecting the slap that stung her cheek, but she was not expecting him to yank her hair back again and force her mouth open in a brutal kiss.

"Watch your mouth, bitch," he spat at her, backing up. He turned to his men, "Tomorrow we take the Goblin Bitch."

* * *

A/N: Oh dearest readers, please honor me with a review ... or I might just make something terrible happen that no one wants to happen ... or I could just - no - no I won't do that.


	9. Love Ain't Like That

A/N: Apparently the last chapter caught your attention. I'd like to thank you all who reviewed. It was a pleasant surprise that there were so many of you.

* * *

Wyatt Cain stood guard as Princess DG allowed her consciousness to delve in on itself to the place where her bonding with the Land resided in her soul. It was before dawn, but the war camp was already bustling with activity. Today they would attack.

The soldiers - both Ozarian and Goblin - knew their jobs and would fulfill them to the best of their individual abilities. But that didn't mean that the princess would just sit back and wait for the battle to end. No, she was communing with the Land to try to spin the odds in their favor.

DG wasn't bonded to all Land like some earth witches were - she was bonded to the Labyrinth. But land knew land and word got around quite quickly on that level of things. The O.Z. land would help her because she was their once-princess and the bond-mate to their darker half.

Wyatt was busy keeping watch for attack when he heard a startled gasp from behind him. He turned to find the princess looking almost horrified.

Blue eyes met blue eyes, the worry reflected in his calmed her slightly as she answered his unspoken question. "They have a spy."

Wyatt moved forward to help her stand. She leaned against him gratefully, and neither one would admit how much faster their hearts beat because of the increased touch.

"Can you tell who it is?" he asked, his fingers flexing over his side-arm.

She shook her head, "For that we'll need a Viewer."

He nodded and helped her walk back to the main camp, shouting for a Viewer to meet them in the command tent set up in the central part of the circular group of tents.

DG was drinking a glass of water when General Dugan came in with a Viewer at his side. DG recognized him for two reasons - the first being that she had seen him at a state dinner some years back when she was still a Princess of the O.Z., the second being that she had watched him die in the memories of what never was. It was Lylo.

"The Princess believes there's a spy in our midst," Cain explained to the viewer. "Is there a way for you to find out who it is?"

Lylo closed his eyes and concentrated on the emotions of those in the camp, trying to sort out which had emotions different from the others. Unfortunately he kept on becoming stalled by the strong emotions radiating off the princess.

At long last he shook his head. "Lylo cannot see through so many," he sighed in defeat. His eyes met the princess's, "Lylo sorry."

DG nodded, not wanting to push the Viewer to do the impossible. She smiled slightly at him, "That's okay, Lylo. I know you tried your best."

The Viewer hesitated. He reached for DG's hand and she let him take it, knowing that he would be able to peer into her mind more strongly with the connection. "But Lylo feel something."

DG's eyes were wide as she looked into his. She waved Dugan away, "Why don't you and Cain go expect the goblins' weapons? Make sure they're sharpening their hand weapons properly."

Cain frowned, uncertain that he should leave the princess, but she met his eyes and nodded. "I'll be fine - I'm surrounded by an army."

"One of which happens to be a spy," he countered.

She raised her eyebrows, "Don't worry, Mr. Cain, if he comes after me I'll just go at him with my mad fighting skills."

He snorted at that, but left with General Dugan anyway.

"What is it, Lylo?" she asked when they were alone.

"Lylo feel confusion, anger, and much love coming from Princess's heart. Very strong."

DG opened her mouth to respond but a sharp dart of pain in her arm stopped her. The world went hazy around her and she saw Lylo drop to the floor as the tent flap opening to reveal three soldiers dressed in Ozarian uniforms. She felt her body weight go dead and she dropped to the floor, her heart sending out a shrill call to Cain for help. One of the soldiers was carrying a wicked looking collar.

--

_When I say go, run_, the voice in her head told her. Az looked around, frowning, trying to pinpoint where the voice was coming from.

_Stop looking for me and when I say go, run._ The voice seemed quite insistent but Az was still too curious to do anything like try to run from her captors.

_Who are you?_ she asked silently.

_A guardian from your sister. I'm going to drop down on the back of your head now and release the binding on the collar. Try not to move._

She tensed as she felt a small _something_ land on her neck, shimmying itself between her skin and the collar that bound her magick.

_How are you able to do this? _Az asked curiously.

_Goblin magick,_ the creature on her neck grunted. No noise sounded, but Az felt a slight decrease in the pressure of the blasted collar.

_Thank you,_ she replied.

There was a commotion outside the cave, drawing Az's attention away from the little goblin on her neck. Her eyes went wide when she saw who entered.

--

Wyatt wasn't sure how, but only a few minutes after exiting the tent with DG and Lylo, he knew she was in trouble and he was needed.

Without waiting for General Dugan to follow, he ran straight back for the tent, arriving in time to see a man dressed in the Ozarian army uniform - a corporal - leaning down to fix an evil looking collar to DG's neck.

His gun was out in an instant and he was going for the two guards standing next to him. One shot was fired and one of the guards went down without a fight. Wyatt heard twin shrieks of rage that seemed to come from the Princess's prone form as the gun went off, but he was too busy taking out his anger on the second standing traitor to pay the noises much mind.

Fists, arms, and legs flew, pounding into the enemy. His gun fell from his hand, becoming lost in the scuffle. The man on the ground beneath him stopped resisting the battering of fists into his face and chest as Wyatt laid into him.

"Colonel!" he heard from above him. "I think he's had enough," Devon Dugan reassured, prying the bloodied man away from the traitor on the ground.

Wyatt looked around the now quiet tent, spotting three more enemy soldiers with matching blood stains on their pants on the ground. Next to them stood two malicious looking goblins with forks held tightly in their grubby hands, blood dripping off the prongs sadistically. The enemy was neutralized.

Panic written across his face, Wyatt knelt down beside the princess and pried the collar off with his bare hands. He felt for a pulse, relieved that it was strong and her breathing was steady. When she didn't stir, however, his heart jumped into his throat which now seemed to constrict to the size of a pin needle.

--

DG felt like there was a marching band playing as loudly as possible behind her temples. She opened her eyes, surprised that the first thing she saw was the concerned gaze of her sister.

"Az?' she whispered weakly.

The elder princess nodded with a smile, "It's going to hurt for a little while longer, Deej - the dart had griffin blood on it. Just try to rest."

DG frowned, her mind foggy, "But … how?"

Az smiled warmly, "It seems you have a lot of small friends, little sister. Ding helped me get my collar off. After that it was just a matter of teleportation. Your Colonel Cain seemed surprised to see me. Said something about you not being able to teleport me out yourself for fear of burning entrails."

"Something like that," DG replied with a slight smile. "Where's Ding?"

Her sister motioned to the far side of the medical tent, "Getting bandaged up by one of the other goblins - Jingle I believe the name was. I believe your personal guards Push and Pull are over there as well."

DG furrowed her brow, "What happened, Az? Are they hurt?" She tried to sit up but the other princess pushed her back down.

"They're fine. I can't say the same thing about the men who attacked you, though." Az gave her a knowing look, "Castration, dear sister?"

She shrugged, "It seemed like it'd get the point across."

"How goblin of you."

"Now I can't even leave you alone for two minutes without you getting into trouble," Wyatt said, his eyes betraying how worried he really was as he walked up to the bed where DG was lying.

She gave him a blank look as she replied blandly, "Apparently not. Maybe you'll just have to return to the Labyrinth with me to make sure I don't fall down any stairs or stub my toe in the maze."

The sides of his mouth twitched slightly in a smile he refused to let out, "At least that griffin blood didn't affect your sense of humor." He sat down on the other side of the bed from Az, giving DG a serious look as he added, "Don't do that again."

"Okay. I'll just tell King Jackson that he can't send kidnappers for me anymore because you don't like it." DG smiled sweetly as she said it, letting him see the stupidity of his order.

He glared at her, not rising to her bait. Az snorted at the pair in a very unfeminine manner. It was better than watching the comedy shows in Central City.

--

"Now that things are starting to turn around there, I expect you'll be home soon," Jareth said to his niece a week later after the griffin blood had gotten out of her system.

DG nodded, she had been away from home so long it was logical, "That is what you'd expect. But I won't be coming home just yet."

Jareth frowned, "Sarah was hoping for your help in planning the wedding." He paused for a moment before he said, "And I was hoping that you'd help me with my gift for Sarah."

She smiled sadly, "I know - and I still hope to be there for that, Uncle, but I'm needed here, too."

"How is your sister?" he asked, refering to the break Az had suffered in her leg two days ago.

DG shook her head, "Lylo says the break it too severe for him to heal completely. She won't be able to travel for two weeks at least. Besides, we're safer when we're together."

Jareth resigned himself to the absence of his niece. Changing the subject he asked, "And how goes things with your bond mate?"

DG looked over her shoulder to where Cain stood guard a few yards away. She sighed, "I haven't had the courage to tell him, yet. He's such a wonderful man … but he's lost so much." She turned back to her uncle, "You know he hasn't left my side since the kidnapping attempt."

"Must make bathing a bit difficult," Jareth quipped.

DG chuckled, "He turned beet red the first time I mentioned I had to take a bath. Spent the entire time scanning the wood. Nearly scared me out of my mind with the paranoia."

"I'm sure it wasn't that bad."

She gave him a look, "He pulled his gun on a squirrel."

"It was obviously a possessed squirrel."

"It was climbing up a tree."

--

Az turned the last page in her book, setting it down with a smile. There was something about this Other Side author Charlotte Brönte that drew her in. She had such a way with words, and _Jane Eyre _was one of the princess's favorites.

Her smile turned into a grimace as her leg started to throb, the pain killers wearing off again. It was miraculous that her leg was the only thing that broke when she fell from the horse, but that didn't make it hurt any less.

A hand appeared in her line of vision, offering her two capsules and a glass of water. Azkadellia looked up into the kind face of a man perhaps ten annuals older than herself, with the most expressive grey eyes she had ever seen.

"Thank you," she whispered softly as she took the pills. The pain killing effect was almost instantaneous. "What's your name?"

"Adrian Zero."

Az smiled, for some reason the name pleased her. She motioned toward the chair at the side of her bed, "Please, sit."

He obeyed, not quite sure what to say. "I find it hard to believe that that horse threw you, Princess."

"It's Az," she responded, "And Colonel Cain said they found a burr on the saddle blanket."

Adrian nodded, "That would explain it then." He looked around the room as they fell into silence. His eyes came to rest on a game board. "Do you play chess, your high - Az?"

She giggled at his near slip. "Yes, I do. Would you like to play, Zero?"

He mock glared at her, "It's Adrian. I'd love to play, Az. Just don't expect me to go easy on you because you're a princess."

Her eyes danced as she replied, "I wouldn't dream of it."

As the game started, Adrian cleared his throat, "What was the book you were reading?"

Az glanced down at the book, taking her turn, "Oh, that. It's a novel from the Other Side called _Jane Eyre_. My father called it a Victorian Romance - although I'm not quite sure whether that was a compliment."

"Was it any good?" he prodded further, taking his pawn and moving it forward.

She nodded, mimicking his move, "For a romance."

"What do you prefer to read, Az?"

"Mysteries. And you, Adrian?"

"Nonfiction historical military records," he replied with a smirk.

She laughed at that, causing his smirk to widen into a real smile. "You have a beautiful laugh, Prin- Az."

She just smiled and took her move on the board.

* * *

A/N: The raging feminist in me was dead set on having Az rescue herself. Any and all complaints can be sent to her. Oh, and I thought _Jane Eyre_ was fitting ... although in this the role of the heroine and the leading man are rather switched ... tehe.

For those who are interested: I got very good news in concerns to my car today at the DMV and from the auto part store.


	10. Don't Go Near the Water

When DG and Wyatt entered the medical tent where Azkadellia was stationed, in time to wheel her into the mess for the evening meal, they were surprised to her hear laugh while a male voice uttered a curse. DG frowned when she saw the man with her sister - she remembered him from somewhere.

It dawned on her as she bent to give her sister a kiss in welcome: he was the one who had made fun of Cain that first day they had met. He was also the Evil Witch of the Dark's right hand man in the memories she had of what never was. His name was Zero, if she remembered correctly. It took all of her will power to remember that this was not the same man her memories tried to tell her it was. _That_ Zero never existed in this world without the Evil Witch of the Dark.

"How goes it?" DG asked her sister, eying the chess board with a critical eye. She spotted the reason for the curse almost immediately; Zero's king was cornered by Az's queen, rook, and knight.

"Marvelously," the princess replied, her eyes dancing.

Adrian Zero mock glared at her, "You cheated."

She turned to face him, a sweet smile on her face, "Prove it."

"You distracted me," he argued.

DG saw how her sister thrived under the easy banter. "And now we must distract you both again - it's time to eat."

Az frowned, "Already?"

Deej nodded, "I've been gone six hours, Az." She nodded toward the board, "You must have been having fun tricking him into surrendering up his queen."

Az's eyes twinkled mischievously as she replied, "All in a day's work, little sister. Now, I do believe you said something about food?"

DG laughed, "The stomach rules all."

Zero and Cain helped Az move to the wheelchair that DG brought close to the bed, settling Az in with her leg elevated to waist level.

"I just hope it's not that imitation mug lug again," Az shuttered at the memory.

DG grinned, "Be glad you didn't have to eat the standard rations, sis. You really must talk to the queen about that - even the goblins have better tasting gruel."

"I know it's not the best, but it's not that bad, is it?" Zero asked.

DG nodded, "It is."

"How does the goblin one taste?"

"Like chicken."

"How'd they pull that off?"

"Surplus of chickens."

--

King Jackson Le Monté paced the cave in a fury. How dare she castrate his men! With _forks_ no less. Sharpened _dinner_ forks. (Based on the description gathered by Azkadellia when she saw the weapons they were actually salad forks as opposed to the much larger meat forks that Jackson was thinking of when he was informed of the weapons used. The salad fork's handle is much easier for the lower caste of goblins to grasp in their smaller forms, and thus is more practical than the wider handle associated with the meat fork.)

He took a drink of his scotch before throwing the glass to shatter against the stone. Damn her!

The more he thought about the grievous insult paid to him by the Goblin Bitch, the less he thought about the land he had originally hoped to gain through tormenting Ozarian border farmers. Now his thoughts were filled with making the bitch pay for her actions.

And pay she would, if it was the last thing he did.

--

Devon Dugan, General of the Goblin Army, smirked at the expression on Coriander's face when he finally caught up with her in the mess hall. She poked and prodded her chicken, ruthlessly tearing it to shreds.

Devon slid into the vacant seat across from the guard, "Fiery got your tongue?"

She turned her glare on him, "No, but it apparently has your brains. What do you want, Devon?"

He chuckled, "Aren't you supposed to be watching the Princess right now?"

She started using her fork to violently spear pieces of the now finely shredded chicken breast, "Not with Colonel Cain acting like her watch dog."

Devon raised an eyebrow, taking a bite of the drum stick he was eating. "Jealous, much?"

Coriander put down her fork and looked at Devon in shock, "I am _not_ jealous of that man."

The other man just snorted outright at that, "Sure. You're perfectly hunky dory with the fact that he's completely usurped your singular most important duty that you've had since DG came to live in the Labyrinth - one decade ago."

"Well, come on! It was _my_ job. What I trained for since puberty. Now I might as well start mucking stables for all good my training is doing me," she moped.

Devon put down his piece of chicken and started outright laughing at his companion. "It's not funny!" she hissed at him, knowing that his laughter was drawing unwanted eyes.

"Yes, it is," he said, quieting down so that others would turn back to their own meals. "You're jealous of something neither of them can control."

"What are you talking about?" Coriander furrowed her brow in confusion.

He looked at her as if she was quite dense, "Did you not pay attention to the stories we were told as children? The bonding betwixt the Land and the Keeper?"

Realization dawned as she said, "The Guardian."

He nodded with a smile, "So you do remember."

"_Between the Land and People there be_

_A Keeper in whom the power all see_

_Kept safe in the Guardian's embrace_

_With love, only to look upon his face_

_Land, Keeper, Guardian, three as one_

_Safe keep the People, the Darkness, and the Sun._"

Coriander nodded, finally grasping what she was told, "He's her Guardian."

"And ours as well."

--

"It looks more like a pig to me." Az squinted into the sun, trying to clear the picture forming in her eyes.

Her companion looked at her in shock, "It's _clearly_ a griffon."

She shook her head, "No, Zero, it's a pig. See the small swishy tail?"

He squinted at the sky, "You mean the griffon's back left paw?"

Az glared at him, one of her hands lightly smacking his arm. "Why do you insist on being so difficult?" Her smile and twinkling eyes contradicted her words and mock glare.

"Because it makes you smile," he replied simply.

This caused her smile to turn a little more shy as he returned it with a small smile of his own. He reached out a hand tentatively to push back a lock of her hair that had fallen into her face.

"I don't see why you're so hung up about this, Mr. Cain!" DG said as she walked with her companion to plop down beside Az, oblivious to the moment they had just ruined.

"I was just expecting something more like knives, not _forks_," he replied, exasperated. "They use dinner forks as hand weapons."

"Actually they're salad forks," DG replied smarmily. "And what's the problem? So what if the goblins castrated them - it wasn't like they were doing something worthy of a medal!"

"Castration just seems a bit extreme, Princess - it is, after all, _permanent_," he replied, taking a seat underneath one of the trees the blanket was spread out beside.

"So is the smell from the Bog of Stench," she replied unrepentant. "At least when a castrated man walks into a room he doesn't have all heads turning away from him as they gag from the smell that he can't wash off." Her tone lost most of its exasperation when she added, "Crime and punishment is taken very seriously in the Labyrinth - that's why the unwanted go there in the first place. Punishments _must_ be permanent if they are to be effective on a larger scale."

"What about less severe crimes, like stealing a loaf of bread?" Zero asked, confused. "Do petty thieves get thrown in the Bog?"

DG shook her head, "There's a different system of punishments set up do deal with petty crimes like bread stealing and vandalism."

Az scowled prettily, "Can we not discuss something so depressing as crime rates?"

"Would you prefer we talk about the added security measures to make sure that King Jackson's men don't breach our patrols again?" DG asked, her eyes wide in mock innocence.

"Or how _exactly_ you escaped from King Jackson," Cain added.

Az shrugged, "What's to tell? Ding got the collar off my throat and I teleported myself out while he was distracted with the returning soldiers. Apparently a group of castrated soldiers is a good distraction."

DG smiled as if satisfied with herself, "I aim to please."

The other princess moved her leg and winced, her hand moving to rest on the injured part of her body. The pain medication was wearing off rapidly.

"I think it's time to get you back to the infirmary, Princess," Zero said, moving to get the wheelchair for her to sit in.

"Actually, I need to speak with you, Captain Zero," DG said, giving the man in question a look that brokered no argument. Zero bowed his head in silent acceptance but his worried eyes turned toward Az.

"I'll take her," Wyatt offered, helping the other man pick up the princess up and set her down in the chair.

"Thank you, Colonel," Az said with a smile. "I really don't mean to be a bother."

"Nonsense," he replied as he began to roll the princess back to the main camp, "I need to have a few words with Lylo anyway."

When Princess DG was finally alone with Captain Zero she motioned for him to walk beside her as she rose. "Take a walk with me, Captain," it was no where close to a request.

The pair walked around the perimeter of the camp in silence for a while before DG finally spoke again. "You seem to be spending a lot of time with my sister, Captain."

"Yes, your highness," he admitted, uneasy about where the conversation was headed.

"She likes you," DG observed. "Quite a bit, actually."

"Your highness?" he asked this time.

She stopped walking and turned to face him, the heels on her boots bringing her close to eye level with the older man, "Just what are your intentions toward my sister?"

Zero stumbled at that, "I'm not sure that's any of your business, Princess."

DG raised her eyebrows at him, "Would you rather I make it Prince Ahamo's business?"

They stared at each other for a long while in a silent battle of wills. The Goblin Princess won out in the end. "I don't know, your highness," he finally whispered. "I have no intention of dishonoring her or sullying her reputation, if that's what you're worried about."

"Do you intend to court her?" It had to be spelled out so that DG could protect her sister - even from their own parents if need be.

"I suppose I _intend_ to get to know her and become her friend before decisions of that nature are reached, your highness," Zero responded after a brief silence.

"I want to be clear about one thing, Captain," DG said, her face and voice deadly serious. "If you hurt her or break her heart, what happened to King Jackson's men will seem like a walk through the fields of the papay compared to what will happen to you."

A chill of fear swept across Zero's frame as he realized what she meant and exactly what she would do to him. "Understood, your highness. Rest assured that I have no intention of hurting her."

"Good."

* * *

A/N: I figured you'd like the slightly shorter chapter as opposed to waiting a few more days for this to be posted. We all knew that the DG/Zero talk was coming, and I hope you liked it. I just had a very, very stressful week and it's just going to continue through the next two weeks - and then classes start (I'm taking five).

Maybe if you ask nicely this plot bunny will decide to kick into overdrive before classes start.


	11. Within You

A/N: Yeah, okay, the title's a joke.

* * *

A few days later the reports came in that King Jackson was launching a most vicious attack against the Gale-Goblin forces. Wyatt heard the news with a heavy heart: his time with the princess was at an end. He flat out refused to let Princess DG come closer to any more danger than she already had.

She would have to be sent home. _Both_ of the princesses had to be sent home.

No matter how much it pained him to see her go, it was better than having to fear for her safety at every possible moment because of an enemy that wanted to kill her.

"Mr. Cain?" a voice asked from behind him, "It's time for lunch, are you coming?"

He looked up at the worried teen standing in the tent. Quickly he folded the papers he was looking at, tucking them under his arm for further research, "Yes. Just give me a moment."

"No problem. Something wrong?" she asked as they began to walk out of the tent.

Wyatt sighed, knowing he'd have to tell her sooner or later and sooner was a whole helluva lot better than later. "I've received some reports that King Jackson is planning on taking out both you and Princess Azkadellia within the week."

DG smiled at that, "He certainly can try, but he's not magickally inclined and it'd take a lot more than an army to kill Az or me. Nothing can hurt us if we're together."

He stopped walking and made her turn to look at him. His eyes were serious and hard as he said, "The patrols report that he's sent for a Dark Land-Bonded Sorceress." His voice and eyes implored her as he added, "You aren't the only powerful witch in the world, DG. Even if you are, she has experience behind her - at least ten years on your own."

"What would you have me do?" she asked, her eyes wide as she tried to understand, "Run and hide with my tail between my legs? Leave Az vulnerable while Le Monté gathers his forces at the gate, ready to raze the farm land to the ground?"

She turned to leave, but his firm grip on her arms stopped her. "Take Azkadellia with you," he whispered urgently, "Go and wait in the Labyrinth." DG turned to look back up at him and saw a very real fear in his eyes. "_Please_," his strangled voice implored again.

DG reached up and let her hand run over his cheek, turning her face up to his. She stood up a little taller and moved to brush her lips against his, but he turned his head at the last second so she kissed his cheek instead. She took a step back, dropping her hand as he dropped his grip on her arms.

Tears brimmed in her eyes as she said, "When next we meet, you owe me a proper kiss, Colonel."

He stood there, frozen in place as his mind registered what had just happened, as she walked away to find her sister and their personal guards. They would have to leave immediately. When. She had said when. Not if, but _when_.

--

Sarah was going over the menu for the wedding when DG and Az appeared, their guards shortly following. The soon-to-be bride smiled at her soon-to-be niece and friend, "DG! And you must be Azkadellia. I'm Sarah, Jareth's … bonded, I believe was the term he used."

Az smiled right back from her place in the wheelchair DG, Zero, and Lylo had all insisted upon. She seemed nice enough. The princess waved off her guard who had stepped forward to help her stand. Sarah might as well get used to Az's real temperament as soon as possible, and DG didn't look up for making introductions at the moment. Actually, DG had been acting out of sorts for a few hours - ever since Colonel Cain had told her they'd both have to leave. "Yes, I'm Az, and bonded is the correct term. Are you working on things for the ceremony?"

"Oh yes," Sarah replied, motioning back toward her work table that was covered in all sorts of wedding bits and pieces. "But I won't bore you with that just now. You both look famished. Come on," she ordered a servant to fetch some food with a queen's commanding air.

The goblin princess smiled slightly, glad to be home despite the whole in her chest where her heart had been mere hours before. "Is my uncle around?" she asked softly, afraid that if she spoke any louder the tears would start flowing.

Sarah nodded, she saw the look of utter despair on DG's face and knew only Jareth could be of the slightest bit of help, "He's in his study."

DG gave Az a reassuring smile to calm her fears, "Why don't you and Sarah eat something and go over wedding plans while I go make sure some rooms are ready for you, okay?"

Az nodded, understanding DG's need to speak to their uncle, "Okay, little sister." Turning her attention to Sarah, Az asked, "So, what center pieces have you chosen for the tables?"

DG silently thanked her sister for her support as she made a hasty retreat.

--

Being a king involved an inane amount of paperwork. That was the conclusion Jareth had drawn when he had left Sarah after breakfast and found his desk overrun with triple the amount of paperwork it normally held because of the up coming ceremonies.

The pile on the desk was down to a reasonable size by the time Sarah came in with a tray of food for lunch. He smiled at her as they ate the noon meal, pleased she was acclimating to the life in the Labyrinth so wonderfully, and rapidly. After she left he returned to the paperwork, and started thinking of a way to word a ban on cutting down trees and making paper.

A knock on his door a short time later brought Jareth back to the present.

"Come," he ordered, looking up to see who was intruding into his sanctuary. When DG appeared, looking haggard but with all her pieces intact, he smiled, "DG, you're home." She only nodded, the water in her eyes making them appear overly bright. He frowned in concern, "My Starlight, what's wrong?"

DG sniffled at his use of her nickname, but approached him anyway, closing the door firmly behind her. Her uncle stood, motioning for her to give him a hug, which she did eagerly. Once she was encompassed in his reassuring, loving arms, DG found she couldn't hold back her tears any longer.

The sobs came in force, wracking her body and soaking his shirt with salty tears.

In the time it took for DG to quiet down, Jareth had the sinking suspicion that when she told him what happened he'd want to find Wyatt Cain and rearrange his face.

--

Six months, two weeks, and one day. That's how long it took before the 'situation' at the border was taken care of and Cain and his men could go home. It was a long, tedious process, but King Jackson was finally driven back and the current border held. Cain had heard word before they left the border that Princess Azkadellia was back home at Finaqua with her parents, while Princess DG was home in the Labyrinth with her uncle awaiting his upcoming marriage to the Other Sider, Sarah Williams.

Much to the Colonel's surprise when he arrived back at Finaqua and his son, there was an invitation to King Jareth's wedding sitting in his pile of mail to sort through.

"What's that?" Jeb asked when he walked into their quarters to find his father staring pensively at a piece of elaborately embroidered paper.

"It's an invitation to a wedding," Wyatt replied, glancing at his boy who had undergone a growth spurt during their time apart. Jeb was now a tall and lanky twelve year old with a mind of his own and a mouth not afraid to spout off at anything and everything.

"Whose wedding?" Jeb rolled his eyes at his father for not volunteering the information.

"King Jareth's wedding. I told you I met his heir, didn't I? Princess DG?"

"No, you didn't tell me. She must like you if you're invited to something like that."

"_We're_ invited. It's addressed to both of us."

Jeb groaned, "Do I have to go?"

Wyatt chuckled, "I think you'd like it, son. The goblins in Goblin City can hold quite a party."

Now the boy was curious, "Have you ever been to one?"

"Once," his father confirmed, "When I was about eighteen and just out of the Academy. A group of us crossed the border to celebrate King Jareth's coronation. It was … something I don't want to hear about you ever doing when you're older, got it?"

Jeb snorted, "Sure Dad, you'll never _hear_ about it. Did you have fun?"

"A blast." He furrowed his brow as he thought about it, "That was the night I met your mother, actually. Her father was the silver smith commissioned to make the commemorative gifts for the guests."

"Does that mean I'm part goblin?"

"I don't think so, Jeb. Sorry, but both her parents are human."

"Aw, man."

--

DG thought it was a little funny how often Sarah commented on how she was now 'sweet sixteen' and all grown up. Partially because in the Labyrinth a girl comes out at fifteen, not sixteen, and partially because DG didn't feel 'sweet' at all - and it didn't look like the year was going to be sweet in the slightest.

Her body had blossomed into what she remembered it being in the _other_ _life_ (as she had started refering to it in her thoughts and in conversations with her uncle). She was slim and had heard many in the castle refer to her as beautiful, but there was one person she wanted to hear say it who hadn't.

Wyatt.

She had started dreaming about him after he had sent her back to the Labyrinth, but it wasn't until her birthday that the dreams had started taking a more … _mature_ turn. The dreams were getting more and more intense as time wore on and part of her wondered if it had something to do with the upcoming wedding in a month and half.

"Do you like the dress?" Sarah's voice caught DG off guard and she mechanically nodded, bringing her attention back to the seamstresses fitting her into the gown Sarah had helped design for the ceremony.

"You know you can tell me if you don't like," the bride replied dryly. "It's not going to hurt my feelings or anything like that."

DG took in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "I'm just not used to being able to breath this much in formal, court dress. It's going to take some getting used to."

"Well I refuse to be stuck in a corset for sixteen hours without any opportunity to loosen the strings."

"It's not that bad, and it's a bit different for me considering I've grown up with the practice of wearing corsets to formal gatherings. It's just the way things are."

"That doesn't mean that I have to follow _that_ particular rule for my wedding," Sarah said firmly.

DG laughed at her soon to be aunt's reaction. "You're the perfect match for him. The Labyrinth couldn't have chosen any better."

The comment brought to mind something Sarah had been wondering about for months - ever since DG came back from the war zone. "Did the Labyrinth choose your bonded?" she asked softly.

DG's body went ridged at the mention of her absentee bonded. Sarah was unsure whether she would respond, and was almost positive that the younger woman wouldn't speak to her for a few days when DG nodded.

"The Labyrinth chose him when I was five," she whispered quietly. "The same day my mother wished me away and I came to live here."

Sarah didn't know what to say. As the seamstresses measured and made sure the hem was even, she reached out her hand and grasped DG's, giving her the silent support she needed. It wasn't enough - would never be enough - but it was all she had to give.

* * *

A/N: Again, slightly shorter, but that's because I spent the last week moving - again - and getting to know the new roommates. Classes start Monday so I'm not sure how regular updates will be after this - but I'll still aim for once a week.


	12. I Walk the Line

"Adora Smithson-Cain," the judge said in a severe voice toward the convict.

She stood a little taller, ready for his judgment on her crimes.

"You have been convicted of thievery, burglary, and assault on an officer of the law. You were born a denizen of the Goblin Kingdom, and married a denizen of the Outer Zone. Your marriage has been annulled and your ex-husband has no desire to claim you - nor does your child. Therefore I sentence you to be removed from the Outer Zone and sent back to the Goblin Kingdom, your land by birth."

The judge's eyes were hard and merciless as Adora felt a shiver of fear run down her spine. "You are unwanted here, as are your crimes." The gavel came down in a deafening motion in which Adora saw her future evaporate back into the Bog of Stench.

--

_One of his arms slid around her waist, pulling her flush with his rock hard body, while the other one found her hair, tangling the dark curls around his strong fingers he tilted her face toward his._

_Her heart beat wildly as she took in the look in his dilated eyes. He wanted her. She tilted her face up, following the not-so-gentle tugging in her hair. His lips came crashing down on hers in something that felt nothing like anything either had experienced. It could only be called a kiss in the broadest of terms - it was more like a primal marking of property._

_And it felt wonderful._

_When he pulled back for air, she growled low in her throat, causing him to chuckle. "Easy there, darlin'," he whispered huskily, "We've got all night to play."_

DG was thoroughly enjoying her reoccurring dream when an insistent knock sounded on the door and she woke up with a moan. It better be damn important for whoever it was to interrupt her before things started to get steamy.

"Come!" she barked at the door as she got up from the bed and donned her dressing gown. When it opened to reveal her sister, DG's tone immediately changed. She ran into her sister's arms, "Az! I thought you weren't coming until next week?"

Az took a good look at her sister as they released each other from their enthusiastic hug, the pendants around their necks pulsing with warmth and joy. "Father and Mother decided that a little holiday was in order," she replied with a smile. "I guess they wanted to spend some time with you. Getting to know the Labyrinth an all."

DG shook her head as she ushered her sister into her bedroom, "Sounds just like them, too, to take an interest in me only when it's expedient for them to do so. This is the perfect chance for Mother to meet my bonded, as well as pass her own judgment on Jareth's bonded."

"Not to mention for Father to see what you've been doing for the past eleven years," Az commented as she sat down at DG's vanity to examine her jewelry while she bathed quickly.

"Ah, yes, because he cared so much before," DG called from the bathroom.

Az waited until she came back out of the bathroom before responding, "He cared, DG. He still does … he just couldn't … Not with how things were with Mother."

DG raised an eyebrow as her hands worked to brush out her long, dark curls, "_Were_? Something's changed in her perception of who and what I am?"

Az shrugged, "All I know is that it was her idea for us to arrive a week early."

The Goblin Princess sighed as she pulled on her riding boots. "Wanna go for a ride before breakfast?"

Az shrugged with a slight smile, "Sure. I love the horses Uncle breeds."

DG smiled mischievously, "Who said we're riding horses?"

Az's eyes went wide as she thought about it. "Dragons?" She'd never ridden on a Labyrinthine dragon before. She hadn't known the Labyrinth even housed dragons!

--

"I must admit, brother, you did well since we last visited," Aerenesa told her brother as she strolled with her husband, her brother, and his bonded through the gardens that had been constructed to amuse DG as she grew older.

"Hmm," he replied noncommittally, lovingly squeezing Sarah's hand where it rested on his arm. "The people love DG a great deal."

Nesa nodded, "I had noticed. Tell me, could you spare your gardener to come take a look at some of the gardens at Finaqua? This work is marvelous."

Jareth smirked slightly, "I could ask him, but I don't think he'd do it."

Sarah smiled but said nothing about her soon-to-be-husband's relationship with the first friend she had made in the Labyrinth over a decade before.

"Why not?" How odd that her brother would suffer a subject who did not do what he was told.

"He and I are not on good terms." He motioned toward the garden that surrounded them, "This is something he constructed for DG. If _she_ were to ask him - or even Sarah, here, he'd do it in a heartbeat."

Nesa grew pensive as she surveyed the landscape and the woman on the arm of her brother, "He must love her a great deal."

"All of them do," Jareth said, his voice low with reverence to everything the garden represented. His subjects loved DG as must as they could, and it showed. There were some things that Jareth couldn't even threaten Hoggle to do that he'd do with a smile at one word from the Crown Princess.

--

DG and Azkadellia spoke as they walked to the clutch of dragons just south of the castle.

"You didn't tell me there was a dragon clutch so close by!" Az said with a grin, greatly enjoying herself and very pleased with the prospect of dragon riding.

DG shrugged, "I didn't know myself until my birthday. My riding instructor, Captain Squee Inkstain, introduced me to a lovely dragon named Ayla after he declared my equestrian skills as good as any of the Calvary soldiers'. I'm sure one of the other dragons would love to ride with you."

"How do you know?"

"I asked them last week."

"You knew I was coming early?"

"No, but I knew you were coming - _and_ I know how fond you are of dragon riding."

Az smiled lovingly at her sister as her thoughts went back to her close friend, Aamina. The burgundy scaled dragon had been Az's protector and confidant during the times when she could not, for one reason or another, speak to DG.

They were interrupted by the arrival of two courtesans DG had no particular wish to see.

She put on a brave smile and greeted them when they stopped near by, "Lord Xavier; Lord Thornfield. Good morrow."

The two men bowed in greeting while DG and Az bobbed slight curtsies in return. "Princess Dorothia," Lord Thornfield (a short, skinny man who reminded DG of a weasel) replied with a polite, courtly smile. "Princess Azkadellia. Good morrow, your highnesses."

Lord Xavier (a terribly tall man who seemed to bulge at the seams) sniffed pompously. "I was unaware our King Jareth allowed you to roam without guards at your side, Princess."

DG raised her eyebrow skillfully at the two suitors. "You would do well to watch your tongue. Nothing is as it seems, and only a fool would assume that I'd wander around without the necessary protection, my _lord_," DG's voice was like ice - Az had never heard anything like it come from her sister's mouth. It was a tone that demanded attention and the proper respect due her rank.

"Forgive me, your highness," Lord Xavier bowed again in penance that contradicted his tone of voice, "No insult was intended. It is just painfully obvious to my humble vision that you and your sister lack a proper escort, your highness."

DG's magick responded physically - if not visually - to her anger. The air became electrified and for a short moment Lord Xavier feared for his life. Then the moment was over and DG replied coolly, "You would do well to remember yourself, _Lord_ Xavier. I might not wear a crown or a tiara on a daily basis, but I am _still_ your sovereign and the heir to this kingdom's throne."

"That is, until your uncle's wife bears a child," he reminded her with a glint in his eye.

DG gave him a smile that chilled the blood, "My uncle does not decide who rules after him." She leaned forward slightly, giving the taller man before her goose bumps as the land around his feet seemed to start to lean into him as well. "The Labyrinth does," she whispered.

Lord Thornfield saw this as a perfect opportunity to interject before his good friend said something which would send him to the Bog of Eternal Stench. "To whence are you going, your highnesses? You appear dressed for dragon riding."

"And so we are, Lord Thornfield," DG said, turning her attention to the smaller, much more amiable man.

"We have just come from there," the short man replied with a smile. He liked the princess, especially how she wasn't intimidated by men like Xavier. "The clutch has welcomed a new member."

The surprise in DG's eyes that one of the eggs had hatched so soon in the birthing season was evident on her face, but she was saved having to respond by the addition of two new bodies to their group.

"General Cain," Az greeted happily. She looked down slightly and saw he had his son with him. "How was the trip, Jeb?"

Jeb shrugged but bowed at the waist after his father nudged him with his foot. "Long, your highness."

Wyatt coughed, bowing to the princesses, "It was uneventful, your highness. However, I believe both of us are glad to have made it in one piece."

"Indeed?" Lord Xavier sneered. "I didn't know King Jareth was in the habit of inviting commoners to his state functions."

DG turned on him with the full force of her anger. Dark magick slipped out, creating a cloud around her and causing fear to flood the courtier. "You're beginning to bore me, my lord," she said in a deathly cold tone of voice, cocking her head to one side. "Do not forget who your father was - nor your mother."

The pompous lord stiffened at the mention of his parents, but said no more.

DG grinned without joy, "Very good." Turning her attention to Jeb and Wyatt she asked in a markedly different tone, as her magick dispersed, "How is the dukedom, my lord? I sincerely regret not being able to be there for the ceremonies, but I was told they were memorable."

Wyatt smirked slightly at her choice of words. The ceremony had been two steps short of complete disaster (two words: drunk ministers). "Quite memorable, your highness, thank you. The dukedom is … larger than I anticipated."

Jeb perked up at his father's words, finding it the perfect opportunity to pipe in with, "We have horses!"

At this Lord Xavier opened his mouth, made a quite rude comment about the lack of etiquette and decorum found in Jeb, which caused the father to stiffen at the insult, the son to scowl, and the princess to wave a hand, causing him to vanish into thin air.

"Where is he?" Lord Thornfield asked, frightened for the welfare of his friend, even if he had deserved it. "Where'd you put him?"

DG raised an eyebrow but replied calmly by saying, "Currently he's being manhandled by a group of Helping Hands who will deposit him into an oubliette to await judgment."

"Judgment for _what_?" Thornfield asked, needing clarification so he could help his friend as best he could.

"For being an ass," DG replied, dark light gathering again on her hands. "If you would like to remain in the sunlight, I suggest you run off and stop being irksome, Lord Thornfield."

After he had scurried off, DG turned back to her unknowing bonded and his son with a pleasant smile. "Horses you say? What about dragons?"

Jeb shook his head, "Mr. Steward said that it's not the right at-mo-sphere."

DG grinned, "Would you like ride on one of mine?"

The boy's eyes grew wide but his father cut in with a voice of reason, "We wouldn't want to intrude on your morning ride with your sister, highness."

Az, feeling as if she'd been silent for far too long, put in her two cents, "Nonsense! The ride would only be improved with your company."

"Can we, Dad? Can we?"

Before he could respond DG added, "The clutch won't mind the extra two riders, if that's what you're worried about, Mr. Cain."

He stared at her, unsure whether or not to accept until he felt his son tug at his hand. He bowed his head, "By all means, lead the way, you highness."

As they neared the dragon clutch DG slipped back from Az and Jeb to walk beside Wyatt. "Will you meet me after the noon meal, Mr. Cain?" she asked nervously.

He glanced at her without breaking his stride. Wordlessly he questioned why she needed to meet with him in private.

"Please?" she whispered. "It's very important."

He nodded, his thoughts racing to the dreams he had been plagued with for the past few months. The dreams always began in the early afternoon.

* * *

A/N: Not as shippy as I had originally planned ... but then again, life kinda got in the way (and that last scene kinda took over). Come on, tell me what you think. I can take it. Do you like PMSing DG? I do ... probably because I'm PMSing right now ... but ... he was being mean. It was justified bitchiness (as you'll find out in an upcoming chapter).


	13. Jump Into the Fire

The dragons could smell the humans coming long before any of them could see the approaching four. Ayla, a majestic dragon by any standard, inhaled the wind deeply. There was something different in the smell of her friend and rider, DG. Something that had nothing to do with the fluctuating hormones of a female of childbearing age.

It wasn't until the quartet of humans approached closer that the bronze colored dragon could finally pinpoint exactly what the change in smell was: a bonding. The bonding wasn't completed yet, and therefore fragile, but with the close proximity of both bonded it was easier to smell.

Ayla tsked in that manner peculiar to dragons as the group approached her father, the patriarch of the clutch, and her grandmother, its matriarch.

DG bowed low, with the other humans following suit soon afterwards. "My how your scales glisten today, Hakan, ruler of the Misty Mountain Clutch. And may your fire always blow true, and your wings fly straight, Banu, Mother of the Clutch."

Before them sat two gigantic dragons, one with scales that seemed to swallow the light and refuse to share it, and the other with scales of blue diamonds. The black one spoke first in the voice of a wise old woman, "You honor the clutch with your presence, Goblin Princess." She bowed her head, "As do your sister, your bonded, and his son. We have welcomed a new member to the clutch today."

DG glanced furtively at Wyatt to see if he had a reaction to Banu's comment, but he seemed to not be paying attention as he was enthralled with what appeared to be a battle of wills with a blood red dragon off to the right. She turned her attention back to the clutch matriarch and replied, "We had heard of the hatching of an egg. Is this not unusual so early in the birthing season?"

Banu nodded, "Ay, princess. It is. But the hatch went well, and Umit welcomed her first child with joy. The rest lies in the hands of Lurline."

DG nodded, turning her attention respectfully to Hakan, "We had been hoping for a morning flight, if you have four dragons willing to oblige, Father Hakan."

Hakan nodded, motioning toward Ayla and the dragons around her, "My daughter has been waiting for you since dawn, your highness. Yildiz, Zeki, and Savas will accompany you."

DG bowed again, approaching the four dragons in question. She greeted Ayla before introducing Wyatt, Jeb, and Az to their respective mounts. Yildiz was a dark green dragon with a mind all her own. She cocked her head at the elder princess with a huff, "You don't look like much."

Az put her hands on her hips in a slightly intimidating manner and replied, "And you like a big tree."

Yildiz tilted her head back and let out a bark of laughter. Her eyes were filled with something akin to mirth as she nodded, "Ay. We'll get along excellently, then."

Zeki was the smallest dragon there, but that wasn't saying very much. Jeb approached him with wide eyes, DG and his father at his side to make sure the meeting went well. The deep sea colored dragon cocked his own head at the boy-child, holding very still so as not to frighten him. However, when Jeb's hand passed over a particularly sensitive spot on Zeki's hide, the dragon couldn't help but chuckle.

Jeb's eyes grew wider and he smiled, rubbing the spot again. "You're ticklish!"

Zeki couldn't respond for the laughter that was wracking his form.

After the tickling ceased, Wyatt helped his son settle in front of the great dragon's wings and DG showed him where to hold on.

Jeb's wide eyes met hers, "Won't I hurt him holding on like that?"

DG shook her head. "This part here is kind of like a horse's mane. He can feel it when you pull, and that lets him know to slow down, but it doesn't hurt him. Don't worry, he won't let anything happen to you."

Jeb nodded, "I know."

Wyatt nodded once to his son before going to meet his own ride, Savas. This particular dragon looked scary … and kind of mean. Savas looked like the school yard bully everyone gave a wide berth, with crimson scales that seemed to bleed in the sunlight, he was an awe inspiring sight, indeed.

The princess gave Wyatt a smile when they got to the dragon, "Good luck," she said. Turning to the dragon she said, "Behave."

Savas just gave the dragon equivalent of an exasperated sigh. "I make no promises, Princess. Your bonded can take care of himself, I am sure."

DG glared at the dragon before nodding once to Wyatt and leaving to mount Ayla.

Wyatt watched her walk away before turning to the massive dragon before him. "I'm not in the mood to play a game of 'my horse is bigger than yours' with you. Why did you call me her bonded."

Savas lowered himself further to the ground. "Climb on, human. This conversation is one best not had on land where the ears of women and bond-mates cannot hear."

Wyatt easily hopped onto the dragon's back, and held on as Savas took off from the clutch grounds. When they were flying some hundreds of yards in the air, Savas began to speak:

"_Between the Land and People there be_

_A Keeper in whom the power all see_

_Kept safe in the Guardian's embrace_

_With love, only to look upon his face_

_Land, Keeper, Guardian, three as one_

_Safe keep the People, the Darkness, and the Sun._"

"What's _that_ supposed to mean?" Wyatt asked over the sound of the wind.

"_You _are _her_ Guardian. Chosen to protect her by the Land," the wise dragon responded.

The human wasn't angry, exactly, but he did have a few questions that were popping into his mind and making him confused as hell. "Why? Don't she and I get a say in the matter?"

Savas was quiet for a while before responding, "The Labyrinth has her reasons. I believe your bonded knows what those reasons are - for I do not."

"Thank you for telling me," Wyatt said before dropping into a brooding silence for the remainder of the ride. How long had they been marked for each other and bound together? This must be what DG had wanted to talk about.

--

Meanwhile, DG and Ayla were having a much different sort of chat about the bonding.

"If I were human, lass," the dragon sighed.

"And unbound," DG added with a laugh. She looked over to where their bond-mates flew together before turning to look at Jeb atop Zeki. "I just hope that Jeb takes it well. He's never exactly had a mother."

"Don't worry, lass, everything will work itself out in the end. The boy's already fond of having you around. I can smell his love for the Labyrinth growing already. It's the man you need to be concerned with right now. Why have you not completed the bonding?"

DG shook her head, "I don't want him to think that I'm trapping him. He'd grow to hate me."

"No, lass. His love for you is strong - as it is with all bonded. He could no more hate you than I could hate Savas," Ayla soothed her fears. "He needs to know."

"If I know your bond-mate," DG replied dryly, "He already knows about the bonding."

Ayla chuckled, "Aye. Savas doesn't know how to keep his mouth shut about such things."

--

After the ride the humans left the clutch to walk back to the castle for breakfast. All the way to the family dining room DG insisted Wyatt and Jeb joined them in, the boy was gushing over how much fun he had with Zeki and, "Can we _please_ go again tomorrow, Dad? Princess DG, you just have to convince Dad that we should go tomorrow!"

The three adults laughed as the four entered the dining room to find Queen Aerenesa, Prince Consort Ahamo, King Jareth, and Sarah already present.

DG embraced her uncle, giving him a kiss on the cheek as he commented, "I've just received a rather interesting report from the Helping Hands."

She smiled at him and shrugged, "He was getting on my nerves. Actually, with what he said, he's lucky I didn't drop him in the Bog."

Jareth scowled at his niece as the group moved to the buffet table set up with breakfast foods. "DG, that's the fifth time this month."

"They're _all_ getting on my nerves," she replied, her eyes wide. Az snorted at the number. DG turned to her and shrugged, "You'd think they'd have gotten the hint by now. It's not my fault that the lot of them are as dense as over risen bread."

As the words came out of her mouth, the chef (a Halfling of Elvin and hobgoblin decent) came out of the kitchen with his hands on his hips. "It wouldn't have over risen if you hadn't decided it was the _perfect_ opportunity to try to change water into fire and set the kitchen sink on fire."

DG smiled disarmingly at the chef, "I said I was sorry, Louis. I helped you clean it up, didn't I? And it didn't happen ever again."

Wyatt cocked his head at her, amazed that she was able to get into so much trouble. "How in Ozma's name do you set a _sink_ on fire?"

She grinned at him, "Pure skill, my friend. And timing. It's all in the timing."

"And the elemental magick you shouldn't be learning for a few more years yet," Nesa said, easily falling into the role of the mother she had once been to the princess.

DG stiffened slightly as she got her food, Louis handing her one of the sticky buns that he had just brought out from the kitchen. She smiled at him before going to sit down at the table between Sarah and Azkadellia.

Ahamo leaned over to his wife and whispered a question in her ear, causing her to turn and answer in an equally soft voice. Based on the looks that were sent across the table at Wyatt and Jeb, DG made a fairly safe guess as to what their discussion was about.

"Mr. Cain," she said in a lilting tone. He turned to look at her across the table and she asked, "I've heard three different stories about how you acquired your dukedom and all are mutually exclusive. Would you terribly mind telling me which one is correct?"

Wyatt smirked slightly. "It's the least interesting of the three, I'm sure. There was a duke in the Ozarian court who was quite old and had no heir. He took a liking to Jeb and in the hopes that he'd one day take the title, the duke named me his heir. He died a month ago."

DG smiled dazzlingly at him, "That explains quite a bit, actually. Thank you."

--

After breakfast DG was going to take a walk into the city to check on a gift she had commissioned privately for her uncle and his bride, but was stopped from going by her birthparents' desire to speak with her immediately. Having had enough walking for the morning, Nesa requested the chat take place in the royal gallery that held portraits of their ancestors going back to even before the Great Gale.

DG clasped her hands behind her back as she led the way to the gallery with her parents in tow.

"What did you want to talk about?" DG asked, her eyes guarded and her voice civil. She hadn't exchanged two words with either of her parents since that terrible solstice eleven years before.

Nesa took a seat on one of the benches in the gallery as her husband examined the portraits that he had never seen before. She motioned for DG to sit beside her but the teen shook her head, "I'd rather stand."

The queen felt the constant ache in her heart increase at the refusal, but she smiled and said, "It's about your sister, Azkadellia."

"What about her?" DG asked, one eye keeping track of her father, who was standing in front of the portrait Jareth had commissioned to commemorate DG's sixteenth birthday.

"We are concerned about her relationship with one of the soldiers stationed at the palace," Nesa said very carefully, unsure how DG would react. "His name is Adrian Zero."

DG's posture was stiff and hard as she turned from the painting of a very young looking Jareth she had been inspecting. "I will only say this _once_, and once only," her voice held a quality to it that demanded respect and obedience, "You will in no way interfere with Az's relationship with Adrian Zero. He is a good man, and just because he is a commoner is no reason to dismiss the possibility of him being a loving husband for Azkadellia. I'm sure I don't need to remind you that your own husband was a commoner before you married, _Mother_."

"DG you're not even listening to me!" Nesa cried, indignant. "He is a terrible influence on your sister - she's been found by guards asleep with him in the gardens on multiple occasions."

"So she's a little impulsive - so what?" DG shot back, anger rising. She pointed her finger at her mother and said, "She's not in danger and she's happy. She _deserves_ to be happy, _Mother_. I swear to Lurline that if you so much as give him a dirty look I will withdraw all Goblin support from your shared border with King Jackson."

It was a heavy threat not to be taken lightly: the border was long and thin, and Nesa didn't have the man power to keep it secure without the help of her brother's army. "You wouldn't risk the commoners like that, DG."

DG held her head high as she rebutted, "No, Mother, the question is: Would you?"

Without another word she gave her father a nod and turned on her heel and left. Her forceful strides took her through the castle and into the city that surrounded it. None of those that saw her even thought to stop her or ask where she was going. There was no where safer for the Goblin Princess to be than in the Goblin City in the center of the Labyrinth.

She made her way steadily through the city, stopping in front of the forge and attached shop she had come to know well.

She entered the shop without knocking, a smile firmly planted on her face so as not to cause the children of the silversmith any anxiety.

Immediately upon entering the shop, she saw the smith's eldest child, a son by the name of Vico. He was about twenty-five annuals, a big, bulky man like his father. His face was kind, by no means handsome, but kind with dark green eyes and an over all appearance that reminded DG of an actor's from the Other Side that she had heard of a short time ago - Kevin Sorbo, she was pretty sure the name was. He smiled at the princess in greeting, "Good day, Princess DG."

"Good day, Vico," she replied, taking a deep breath. For some reason she always felt better among the smells of metal and grease and fire than she did among fabric and needles and seamstresses. "Is your father in? He told me that my order would be ready today."

Vico nodded, motioning toward the back with his hand, "He's in the back. I'll go tell him you're here."

DG shook her head, gesturing to the rest of the storefront, "That's okay, leave it be for a moment. I want to look around."

"Help yourself, Princess. Let me know if you see anything you like."

"I will, Vico," she promised, turning her attention to the metal puzzles that had attracted her attention. She picked out one that she thought Jeb would enjoy - it looked like a magickal version of a Rubix Cube.

Just as she started looking around for something for Az, Vico's father, Eamon, came into the main shop with a woman who looked vaguely familiar to DG by his side.

Eamon smiled warmly at the princess, "Your highness, I have your order right in the back here. I'll only be a minute getting it. Have you met my sister, Adora? She's just arrived back from her travels."

DG kept her face a pleasant mask as she greeted the woman she could now place as Wyatt's ex-wife and Jeb's mother. "I'm pleased to meet you, Adora," she said in a polite manner, "Your brother and nephew are most accomplished metal craftsmen."

Adora smiled back, "As was our father before them, your highness."

DG nodded, "It was a sad day for all of us when he passed."

As DG spoke some more with her bond-mate's ex-wife, she noticed more and more that there was so much of Adora in Jeb. DG was positive it must be a point of constant pain for Wyatt whenever he looked upon his son's face.

When Eamon came back out with a box which he set down on the counter top for DG to inspect, she was greatly pleased with his craftsmanship, and that of his son's. With a genuine grin on her face she thanked him, paid for the pieces (including the cube puzzle for Jeb) and made a hasty retreat.

She had _so_ much to talk to Wyatt about.

* * *

A/N: Sorry about the wait. I hope the size helped to make up for the discomfort of biting your nails in anticipation. FiestyFox was right in her assessment that school takes the fun out of the college experiance.

Be prepared for major DG/Wyatt interaction in the next chapter.


	14. A Matter of Trust

Once back in the palace, DG handed off the box to Coriander to put in her room while she went to go see Jeb, gift in hand. She found him in the garden, firing off question after question at Hoggle, the gardener answering with patience whatever intrigued the lad's curiosity.

"Hey there," DG greeted the two with a grin. Before Jeb could see the cube in her hands, she made it disappear magickally. Might as well give him a small show before giving it to him. Her uncle had taught her how to work crystal magick years before when she had turned ten.

Jeb grinned up at her, "Hi, Princess DG."

"How about just calling me DG? Okay?" she asked, wanting to get him used to the idea of her being around before he found out that he was going to stay there for the rest of his childhood.

The boy frowned, but seeing how insistent she was, he nodded, "Okay, DG."

"What are you two up to?"

"Hoggle's explaining what makes fairies different from pixies."

DG laughed at that. Only someone like Hoggle could make something as banal as the difference between fairies and pixies interesting for a young boy.

"What are _you_ doing, DG?" Jeb asked, pleased that he was able to banter easily with her, just like he was able to do with Princess Azkadellia.

She grinned again, making a crystal appear out of the air, "I've brought you a gift, Jeb."

His eyes were wide as he watched her make the crystal float over her hands. She held it out to him, "Do you want it?"

He nodded, reaching out to take it. When the crystal was in his hand, he was pleased and surprised to see it change before his eyes in the cube puzzle that DG had picked out for him at the silversmith's.

"What is it?"

"It's a puzzle. Each side has a different alphabet on it - Elvin, Goblin, Troll, and Gnome."

Jeb frowned as he looked at it. "It's not a very good puzzle if it's already solved," he complained in the manner peculiar to little boys.

DG touched it again and suddenly each side was un-solved. "There's magick in it so that each time you solve it, the cube will create a harder challenge for you to solve. It'll even teach you pronunciation and short phrases and words when you get good enough."

Jeb's grin was contagious, "Thank you, DG." He gave her a massive hug before running off to go play with his new game.

DG watched him go with a smile, staying still for a moment.

Hoggle cleared his throat, bringing her attention to the dwarf. He had a piece to say - something that had been bothering im for quite a while, but it still took all of his fleeting courage to say, "I heard what happened this morning, Princess."

"What do you mean, Hoggle?" DG asked, looking around at the statues made out of hedges.

"The first time you sent a man to an oubliette he tried to attack you," the dwarf replies, turning to face his princess with fear in his heart. But he couldn't stay silent any longer. DG was beginning to scare some of those who had known her for years.

She nodded, feeling indignation rising in her that she had to fight to keep down. She would _not_ yell at Hoggle. No matter what he said.

Her lack of a reprimand emboldened the gardener some and he continued, "No one faulted you there, but the second time you tossed him in the middle of the darkest oubliette in the Labyrinth for questioning your sexuality. The next one got thrown into an oubliette because he told you he thought you should be riding side-saddle. Then there was the one who made a very rude suggestion about what you could do to make his stay here more enjoyable."

Hearing the encounters put in words like that, DG shrugged, unsure what to think about her actions. "I guess I've been on edge the past few weeks," she finally replied.

He shook his head, "It's more than that, your highness."

"It's much more."

DG and Hoggle turned to see Azkadellia standing a few feet away with a sad look in her eyes. She had approached while they were talking and decided to take Hoggle's words at the perfect opening for confronting her sister about her actions.

"What do you mean, Az?" her heart dropped. Did everyone have something to say about how she'd been behaving the past month?

"You're letting the darkness control you, Deej," Az explained. "I've watched you for the past year and a half let it take more and more control over your actions." She shook her head, "But it has to stop, Deej. It's making you turn evil."

DG's eyes widened at the comment, unsure what to make of both her sister's comments as well as Hoggle's. Was she turning evil? Granted, she could have handled the situation with the suitors better … but _was_ her temper beginning to fray too much?

"I - I have to go," she said, turning and running into the palace that had been her home for years.

Her feet knew where she was going - as did the walls, and they led her quickly to the room that was calling to her in the heart of the Labyrinth: the stair chamber.

Her breath came in quick, heavy gasps as she collapsed on one of the numerous flights of stairs that ran into each other and left no indication of which way was up or down. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she examined her actions ever since seeing Wyatt again. She had let the darkness take more control. Too much control, perhaps.

What was happening to her?

"I should not have bound you so young," a voice sounded from all around her. She wasn't sure how long she had been in the stair room, crying, but it must have been a few hours at least.

DG's tear stained face looked up at the room of stairs.

"You had no chance for a real childhood." The Labyrinth sounded mournful, regretful in her actions. The stairs in front of DG twisted together, forming an avatar to speak with the land-bonded princess.

"It was better I learned how to control my powers young."

The avatar shook her head, "No." Her stone hand came out to caress DG's cheek. "We were wrong to mark your heart the way we did. For the reasons we did."

DG's eyes widened. "What are you saying?"

The stone avatar blinked, "When you were marked for Wyatt Cain, your heart was given to him. You were not allowed any chance to find out what lay in there for yourself. Your love is connected to him in a way that was unfair to you as well as to him."

Realization of what the Labyrinth was going to do shook DG to the core. "You're going to sever the bonding, aren't you?"

The avatar shook her head, "No, but we will make you forget the past that never was, and the future that never will be."

"I thought you said you couldn't do that."

"We cannot take away the memories completely, but we can burry them."

"It won't fix anything," DG shook her head. "I'm already tainted."

"Then I will bind some of your powers," another saddened voice said from behind her. DG turned and saw her uncle kneel down beside her. She wasn't sure why she hadn't heard him approach, but chalked it up to the magick in the heart of the Labyrinth. His eyes were mournful as he added, "As I should have done when I first learned of your abuse of them a month ago."

The Crown Princess couldn't stop the tears falling from her eyes. Everything was falling apart.

Taking a shaky breath she nodded, "If it will help, do it." It was easier for her to take all of the responsibility for her actions than it was to fight any longer.

Jareth pulled her into a hug. "I've done this to you, haven't I? You've had too much responsibility for one so young."

"It wasn't all bad," DG replied, forcing a small smile to her face. She nodded to her uncle as she leaned back on her knees. Looking back and forth between the avatar and her uncle she said, "Do it now."

His eyes were sad as Jareth called a crystal ball to him and filled it with a good portion of her power. She'd still be able to defend herself and do small things, but that was about it. When he was finished she gasped at the change in feeling. Somehow she felt lighter without the weight of so much power and responsibility. "There's a safe guard on it, DG," he explained, making the magick filled orb disappear. "If you are in extreme need, it will return. But it is for the Land and the Magick to decide what qualifies as extreme."

"Thank you," DG whispered with a nod. She turned to look at the Land's avatar, "And my memories."

The avatar shook her head, "They will be gone when you awaken in the morning. It's much less jarring for your mind if I burry them while you sleep."

The Crown Princess just nodded, unsure what to say as the avatar melted back into the steps.

Jareth stood, offering his hand to his niece. She took it and rose with him, and the pair began traveling the room for a few minutes in silence before she spoke the question that had been plaguing her for a while now:

"Why have I been changing so much, Uncle? It's more than just hormones. There's something else that's making me more susceptible to the evil, isn't there?"

He nodded, "It is in part due to the uncompleted bonding, dearest. The increase in volatile behavior means that if the bonding is not completed with the binding kiss soon, the bond will break."

"Is that dangerous?" DG asked, knowing that it was a very real possibility that Wyatt wouldn't want to stay bound to her after witnessing her behavior earlier that day.

"Not to either of you, although once the binding is broken, you will be unable to be bound to him again. A break like that is final."

The two continued on in silence, leaving the puzzle room and walking through the halls. "How did you find me?" DG finally wondered out loud.

"The castle told me you were in distress, and the heart of the Labyrinth was the most comforting place I could think you'd hide."

DG smiled softly, "It feels like being embraced and loved unconditionally."

"That's why I chose that room for my final confrontation with Sarah when she ran the Labyrinth ten years ago," Jareth commented.

She looked at him with a little guilt, "I'm sorry, Uncle. So sorry about how I've been acting."

He sighed sadly as they stopped in front of the family dining room. Giving her a heartbreaking look he replied, "It wasn't all your fault, DG. I should have disciplined you more - not expected so much. I'm sorry that I did not."

--

Wyatt wasn't sure what to think. He was _bound_? To a sixteen-annual-old? Why? What did that make him? A pedophile for feeling something for her the year before?

_Damn lucky_, a voice in his head whispered. He tried to shoot it down. He was too old for her, no matter what the Labyrinth seemed to think.

He wanted to be angry at DG for not telling him when she found out, but in his mind's eye he could see how that conversation would have gone:

"Hey, Mr. Cain, the Land thought that you'd be a good choice to be my protector and bound us together. Isn't that great?"

He wanted to punch something.

Hell - his _son_ was only four annuals younger than she was!

Leaving Jeb in the safe and watchful hands of the palace guard, Wyatt struck out to do some exploring of his own of the palace grounds. He was so lost in thought that the normally completely coherent, cogent ex-Tin Man wasn't paying any attention to where he was going and ran smack dab into another person.

"I'm so sorry," he said, pulling back to see a beautiful woman with dark brown hair a few shades lighter than DG's. "Forgive me, your highness."

Sarah smiled, tilting her head to one side, "Don't mention it - and it's Sarah, I'm still getting used to 'your highness'. I wasn't watching where I was going either. What were you thinking about so hard?"

He averted his eyes, unsure how to respond to such a personal question.

She nodded without waiting for his answer. "Walk with me a ways?" she asked, linking her arm in his without waiting for an affirmative. "I used to get that look on my face when I thought about Jareth. Before the bonding was completed."

He tossed a look her way as they started to walk through the halls. Wyatt hoped that Sarah knew where she was going, because he certainly didn't. "What do you mean?"

Sarah didn't look at him as she responded, "The Labyrinth initiates the bonding of her monarch and their Guardian. When Jareth told me, I couldn't help but feel trapped somehow. I chose to be bound just as much as you did, Colonel Cain."

Wyatt sighed, "I don't even know what the bonding _is_. Why me? I'm twenty annuals older than she is, for Ozma's sake!"

Sarah snorted at that, true amusement in her eyes as she replied, "The act of bonding is a kiss. And Jareth is forty older than I am. The Labyrinth doesn't choose based on anything outward. She chooses bond mates and Guardians for her Keepers based on inward compatibility."

"What do you mean?" the military man looked around and saw that they were entering into one of the galleries that housed family pictures going back generations. Sarah stopped in front of one that caught his attention and held it.

There were two men in the frame: both regal looking, but one much older than the other - they could have been father and son, but there was something in both men's bearings that led Wyatt to believe that they had a more romantic relationship. The younger one stood proud behind the elder, who was sitting in a chair holding the emblems of the Goblin King. They appeared to almost be protecting one another. From what Wyatt remained unsure.

"This is King Garret and Prince Consort Darien," Sarah explained. "They ruled over the Labyrinth two hundred annuals ago, during her golden age. King Garret's wife had died in childbirth to his only child - a girl - twenty annuals before he was bound to Darien. His daughter was the same age as his consort, and Garret was thirty-five annuals his senior."

Sarah turned Wyatt so that he was looking down at her. Her eyes held almost too much knowledge in them as she said, "Add that to the fact that the Labyrinth chose a male as bond mate for a king, and you get a very interesting love story. I don't know why the Labyrinth chose you, but I do know that she has her reasons. She wouldn't have chosen you if she didn't think that you would love DG with all your heart and protect her to your dying breath."

Wyatt wasn't sure if her words made him feel better or worse. Oh, well, at the very least he was decided in his course of action.

--

Lunch went smoothly enough with DG trying to figure out how she felt about everything that had happened since she woke up that morning. Part of her was quite tempted to beg off from her talk with Wyatt until the morrow, but another part of her was positive that if she begged off today, nothing would come of her desire to speak with him. Especially after she lost the not-memories when she went to sleep that night.

After she had gathered her strength enough to do what must be done, she somberly made her way to find Wyatt Cain.

She felt like she was on an emotional rollercoaster, one minute she was as tranquil as the waters of Finaqua, and the next she was ready to bite the heads of anyone around her for giving her a wrong look.

After a long walk through the halls, Dg found Wyatt in the family portrait gallery, staring at one of the portraits of the past monarchs. She pulled in to stand next to him, waiting for him to breech the silence.

"Savas told me about the binding," he finally said, not removing his eyes from the paint strokes in front of the two of them.

"And?" DG risked a glance at him, her eyes wide and vulnerable, "It's not complete and it's still breakable, Mr. Cain."

At the softness and vulnerability in her voice Wyatt turned to face her, awed by her courage in offering him one last chance at a life that would leave her nothing but pain and sorrow. His hand came up to cup her chin, forcing her to look up into his eyes when she would have liked nothing better than to stare at her feet.

He wasn't a man of words, but rather a man of actions. There was only one way he could tell her this without any misunderstanding.

With the hand on her chin, he tilted her face even farther up and bent down, his other arm going around her lithe waist for support as his lips taught hers what it was to kiss.

A/N: Not as much Wyatt/DG as I was expecting but after the feedback I got from the last chapter I felt some explainations were in order.

Oh, and for those of you interested in why DG is acting like such a bitch to her parents - it's because they gave her up when she was five and haven't really tried all that hard at forming a relationship with her since then. Her reactions are based off reactions I, myself, made after my parents' seperation and divorce eleven years ago.


	15. Indestructable

When they finally pulled apart for air, Wyatt was stuck by how beautiful DG was with the afternoon light from the window bathing her features in cool light. There was nothing he wanted more than to take her back into his arms and meld their lips together.

That primal urge was reflected in DG's gaze, and it scared her out of her wits. However, before they had time to see what would happen if they let go and gave into the urges coursing through them, two pairs of foot steps were heard coming their way.

DG tried to school her face as Coriander and Tinny approached, the fear evident on their faces.

"Your highness, your grace!" Coriander said, her voice barely revealing that she had just run from the stables where she had been taking care of her horse to deliver this news to the princess personally.

"What is it?" DG asked, fear taking a hold of her even though she had no idea what had happened.

"It's the boy," Tinny said urgently around her gasping breaths. "He's wandered into the forest."

"The fieries are no threat to him," DG said, confusion and fear warring for supremacy. There was no need to explain what boy they were talking about. It was Jeb.

Coriander shook her head, "Not the fieries, your highness. One of them reported to a patrol that they smell a evil witch."

"Which way?" Wyatt asked, his voice hard and leaving no room for questioning.

DG offered him her hand, "This way," she said. She couldn't teleport them directly there, Jareth had not left her enough magick for that, but she knew someone who still could, if they were willing. _Az_, she called out silently, _I need you_.

Within moments Az was before them, looking at DG and Wyatt with concern. "What is it?"

"It's Jeb," DG said. "He's lost in the forest." She held out her hand, a slight sparking of her magick bouncing off it, calling to Az's own magick. DG looked up at her sister with wide, vulnerable eyes, "Please, Az. He needs us."

Az didn't ask for more than that. She took DG's hand and Wyatt's other hand, "Hang on."

Within the blink of an eye the trio was standing in the middle of a very dense forest instead of the gallery in the castle. DG's ears tuned into the sounds of the forest around them, letting her goblin senses tell her where her boy was, and judge how serious the danger was to him.

"This way," she said to Az as she started to run after Wyatt who had already heard his son's soft voice close by where they were.

The Goblin Princess growled when she came into the clearing and found Wyatt watching the scene before him with terrific fear in his eyes. She made a guttural noise that sounded from deep within her and the land that surrounded them when she saw who exactly it was that threatened Jeb. She uttered a curse in the ancient language before calling out to the boy, "Jeb."

He turned to face her, his eyes somewhat glazed over as he took in the sudden appearance of his father and the two princesses. "Jeb, come here" DG said, her voice reinforced with the magick that lived inside of her and surrounded them all.

The witch snarled, "No, Jeb. Take my hand. It's the trick I told you about. She's trying to trick you. She's not the real DG."

"What do you see?" Az whispered to Cain, unsure why such an ugly witch thought she could trick the lad.

"I see DG standing over there," he nodded toward his right before motioning toward the witch, "And there."

"Glamour," Az whispered.

"I know," DG whispered back as she continued to glare at the evil witch. The magick she was emitting intensified, sparking with both light and dark blue light. "Jeb," she called out again. He turned to look at her, unsure which vision of DG was the real one. "Don't trust me, Jeb," she said. "Go to your father. Trust in _him_."

Jeb closed his eyes tightly before reopening them and looking with a clearer gaze at his father and the two women beside him. "Daddy?" he whispered, still unsure because of the witch's spell.

Wyatt nodded, never happier to hear his son's voice. He held out his arms, "It's okay, Jeb. Just come over here to me."

"NO!" the witch shouted, reinforcing her words with a burst of magick, "She's just trying to trick you, Jeb. That's not your father."

Jeb hesitated, unsure which DG was the real one.

Wyatt growled low at the witch, sending her a seething glare before turning back to his son and saying, "For your eighth birthday your grandmother made you a chocolate cake, but their dog, Hunter, got to it before the party and he got really sick. Mrs. Suza from across town bought you a carrot cake to make up for it."

The boy listened intently to his father's words, DG's magick combating that of the witch to give the lad a fighting chance. He smiled slightly at the story, "I started crying that I didn't want to eat carrots instead of chocolate." With every word he spoke, Jeb took a step closer to his father, "So Grandma gave me some of the leftover chocolate icing."

When Wyatt had grabbed hold of Jeb, Az threw up a defensive shield effectively blocking off the witch's magick from getting to either father or son. At the same moment she took DG's hand, combining their power in a move that left the witch snarling with rage as she dropped the glamour.

"Well, well, well, the two princess came out to play," she sneered, her face contorting into a snarl. "Do you intend to do to me what you did to my sister?"

Az stood tall at the taunting as DG ignored her question and replied, "Acts of aggression against children are forbidden on Goblin soil, _witch_."

"As does Jackson le Monté - on whose lands you have been in exile for the past _five hundred annuals_," Az said with the authority that came from sitting through many boring history lessons with Tutor.

DG hissed in rage, the pendant around her neck, as well as the one around Az's, pulsing with dark and light magicks intertwined together.

Wyatt watched in captivated horror as the magick battle waged on, two against one. So Le Monté hadn't been keeping to defensive maneuvers at all. He had been finding a way to release one of the Sisters from her watery prison. It was no secret that DG and Azkadellia were powerful, and it was definitely no secret that the Sisters had been the most powerful witches in existence once upon a time, but Wyatt was unsure how this would turn out.

Then again, he didn't know what had happened in the cave all those years ago.

DG relaxed her control over the magick, giving her power to Az in a way that she hadn't been aware she could do when she was five annuals old.

"Daddy," Jeb said from within his father's arms, one of his hands clutching something that Wyatt couldn't see clearly. "I'm scared."

Wyatt held the boy tighter, "It's okay, Jeb. Everything's going to be fine. I've got you."

"But DG's going to be mad at me."

"Why would she be mad at you?" Wyatt asked, concerned at how timid his normally outgoing adolescent was acting.

"Because I was supposed to stay at the castle. And now she's in trouble with the witch."

Wyatt breathed an inward sigh of relief before responding, "We'll have a talk later about not going off when I don't know where you are, but no, I don't think DG is mad at you." He pointed to how DG and Az's combined light was overpowering the other witch's magick. Part of him acknowledged that he had been a fool to believe that nothing could hurt her if she was with Az. Apparently she had been right.

Only a few brief moments after that, Jeb and Wyatt watched as the evil witch melted back into the land from which she came. The last of the three Sisters who had terrorized the O.Z. hundreds of annuals before.

DG and Az let their magicks absorb back into their bodies, dropping the shield that had protected the Cain men from harm during the battle. As the last of the magick was swept up, Az took one step back toward the men before collapsing in a dead faint.

The other three rushed forward, "Help me pick her up," DG requested of Wyatt.

"Is she gonna be okay?" Jeb asked, his voice terrified that DG would hate him for making a mistake that resulted in Az getting sick.

DG nodded with a soft smile to Jeb as Wyatt easily lifted Az into his arms. "She's just tired, Jeb. She used a lot of energy and concentration in a very short amount of time."

Jeb's eyes were wide as he took DG's offered hand and they started the walk back to the palace. "Why aren't you as tired as she is, then?"

"Because I'm bound to the Land, and it helps so I don't get so tired. Az isn't bound to the Land, yet."

"But she will be?"

"Yes. She will be," DG explained patiently as they exited the forest and entered the hedge maze. "When she's crowned queen of the O.Z."

Jeb continued to ask questions as Wyatt led them straight to the castle. When they had entered the shade of the castle's walls, Az began to stir.

"Deej?" she asked sleepily.

"Shh," DG responded, moving to grasp her hand, "Rest now, Az. Everything's fine."

"The witch?"

"Melted. Just like before, but this time it was all you, Az."

Az smiled sleepily as she fell back into an exhausted slumber.

"My Azkadellia?" the worried voice of the queen ruined the moment of peace DG was feeling for the first time in annuals. "What's happened?" Nesa asked as she rushed toward her daughters, Ahamo hot on the trail behind his wife.

DG closed her eyes, counting to ten in an attempt to control her anger. "Az is fine, and the last of the Sisters has been melted."

Nesa looked sharply at her younger daughter before looking again at the sleeping princess being carried by Wyatt Cain. Ahamo relieved Wyatt of Azkadellia gratefully, holding his daughter close as he listened to his wife speak to their younger daughter. "You melted her?"

DG shook her head, tilting her head toward Az she said, "I only gave her the strength and made sure she didn't fall down half way through."

Jeb looked up somberly at the queen, "It's my fault."

"Sweet Lurline, child, how?" Nesa didn't know the facts, but she was fairly positive that none of what had happened that day was the direct result of Jeb Cain's actions.

"I went into the forest without telling anyone, and the witch started talking to me. I thought she was DG. And now Azkadellia is sick."

DG knelt down in front of Jeb, making him look her in the eye as she replied, "Az is not sick, Jeb. She's tired. That's all."

"And if you hadn't found the witch out," Nesa added, her voice flowing musically and comfortingly over the boy, "She would still be hiding and plotting her dreadful schemes for King Jackson."

"What is that?" Wyatt asked, drawing attention away from what had happened previously to the cube Jeb was fiddling with in his hands.

He attempted to hide it before holding it out to his father, "It's a present DG gave me."

Wyatt looked at it and watched as the letter puzzle reset itself into a different order. "Hmm," he grunted, unsure of the point of the device.

"It'll teach him some of the other languages a young ... _gentleman_ should know," DG explained with a slight smile on her face as she stood up straight again.

Wyatt handed it back and watched as it reset itself to exactly where Jeb had left off. The boy's eyes were wide, "How'd it do that?"

"The magick I put in it recognizes you," DG explained. "That way when your dad decides to try to solve it, your pace won't be affected by his."

"Cool," the boy said, turning to run off to play with it. He stopped suddenly, turning back around as if he had just committed a capital offense.

Wyatt chuckled at him, "Just stay inside the garden this time."

Jeb grinned at his father before rushing off to play.

DG turned to her parents again, her smile lessening, although never disappearing completely. "We'll see you at the evening meal then."

Nesa nodded, one of her hands coming out to grasp one of DG's lightly. She smiled warmly before removing her hand and motioning for Ahamo to follow her so that they could put Azkadellia to rest in the bedchamber she was using during their stay.

The princess's eyes followed them down the hall, as Ahamo looked back and nodded once to her, letting her know he appreciated the lack of fight DG had gotten into with Aerenesa.

"You okay?" Wyatt asked, snaking his arm around her waist and bringing his chin to rest on top of her head. She was the perfect height for it with her boots on.

DG nodded into his neck, breathing in his scent. "We need to talk," she whispered lightly, not wanting to leave the comfort of his embrace.

"We will," he replied, moving away slightly so that he could look at her before motioning with his head for her to follow him. "But first, I want a tour of the castle."

She smiled up at him, unsure what his game was, "A tour? Really?"

He nodded, "If I'm going to have to live here, then I don't want to be getting lost every day."

DG chuckled at that as they began walking down the corridor hand-in-hand, "You won't get lost, Wyatt."

"How do you know?" he questioned, pulling her closer. It was almost shocking to him how much he needed her as close as possible, but the knowledge of the binding just recently completed compensated for whatever shock he might have felt. "I heard that Lord Greenwalt got lost trying to find the ballroom just yesterday," he added.

"Lord Greenwalt isn't bound to the Crown Princess, who just so happens to be bound to the castle and the land it is resting upon," she explained patiently, taking her desire to be close to Wyatt in stride. "For all intents and purposes, where the castle is concerned, we are one. It will respond to you just as it will to me."

Wyatt smiled, pulling her closer still as he stopped walking, and kissed her mindless again. This time in the middle of one of the most used corridors in the castle.

* * *

A/N: I felt it was fitting to end this chapter with a kiss as well. And so public! What will the other suitors think?

Oh, and I'm not sure I've mentioned this in an author's note before or not, but I don't write smut, so if you're expecting this story to change from "T" to "M" anytime soon you're going to be waiting a long while ... like ... forever.

If smut's your thing, though (as I love to read it as much as the next fangirl) check out **FeistyFox** for Wyatt/DG, and **PaisleyRose** for Sarah/Jareth. While there may be more, those two stand out for me as the best of the best of the best. Sir. (Sorry, scifi humor.)


	16. Hot n Cold

Who should happen to be walking down the hall at the precise moment of that wonderfully spectacular kiss? Why, who else but Lord Xavier, Lord Thornfield, and Lord Greenwalt.

Wyatt pulled away slightly at the sound of the footsteps, causing DG to growl low in her throat in the same guttural noise Wyatt remembered from his dream. "Easy there, darlin'," he whispered as she opened her eyes. He cocked his head to the right, where the three lords were approaching them. "Don't want to give 'em a show, do you?"

DG blushed prettily at the insinuation, burying her face in Wyatt's neck so that the other men would not see her embarrassment. Her hiding spot, however, didn't stop her from hearing Lord Greenwalt chuckle at the predicament the princess was discovered in.

He was a young man, only an annual or so older than DG herself, and looked at her more as a friend or a sister than he did as a possible bride. The knowledge that she had chosen someone else did not sting his pride as much as it bruised Lord Xavier's ego.

"Does the king know that you've taken to kissing strange men in the corridors, Princess?" Lord Xavier sneered at the girl.

Wyatt felt DG stiffen as he turned a stone cold glare, that he had used many times in his days as a Tin Man, on Lord Xavier. He was starting to see why she tossed him into an oubliette.

DG raised an eyebrow as she removed her head from Wyatt enough to look at the man who spoke. "I don't believe you've been properly introduced, Lord Xavier," she said with a voice full of cool regality. "Lord Xavier of the Rush Plains, my I introduce my fiance, Colonel Wyatt Cain, Duke of Hellington."

Lord Xavier was unsure what to say after such an introduction. Hellington was a very misguiding name to give the lush forested acres that made up the dukedom - it had the finest horses in the O.Z. He bowed his head slightly, "Your grace. I was unaware the king had chosen a consort for his niece."

Wyatt raised his eyebrow lightly, "What makes you think that King Jareth had any say in the matter?" He nodded at the other three men before pulling DG along with him, "If you'll excuse us, my lords, we have a meeting to attend."

Lord Greenwalt could barely contain his mirth at the discomfort of the older lord. Lord Thornfield didn't try to contain his at all.

--

She had survived getting a house dropped on her, losing her favorite pair of shoes, being bound to a bloody lake for five centuries, and now an assault from the two newest Gale bitches. Jackson had been correct in that particular nick name.

It had been surprisingly easy to pull that particular glamour over their eyes. In like manner she had tricked numerous witches in the past into believing she was gone for good. Now all she had to do was bide her time and strike down the Gale pestilence once and for all.

This should be fun.

--

Aerenesa looked at the reports in front of her with a heavy heart. The war, at a tentative standstill for the last few months, was going to erupt again. The temporary peace had held while both sides had recuperated after the terribly long, bloody months that had followed DG's attempted kidnapping, and Azkadellia's rescue from the clutches of a man who can only be described as an ogre.

Briefly Nesa wondered if she had read something about his great-grandfather being an ogre, but dismissed the thought as legend. Nothing had ever been proven, after all.

"News from the boarder?" Ahamo asked as he saw his wife's grim face.

She nodded, "It appears that he's leaving us little choice but to cower in fear, or launch a preemptive strike." Her eyes turned to her husband with great sadness, already mourning the men who would lose their lives in such a mindless war, "I'm sending General Lennot my approval to launch an attack."

Ahamo squeezed his wife's shoulder supportively, knowing that there was nothing else he could say.

--

"And this," DG said with a small giggle, pulling Wyatt by his hand through the doorway, "Is my sitting room." Wyatt looked around the room, modestly decorated with light wood tones and paintings of different parts of the Labyrinth, his eyes coming to rest on a door close to the back.

He pulled her with him, "And what's in there?" The question was playful, he knew what was behind that door - he'd seen it in his dreams many times - but he wanted to hear her say the response.

"That," she replied, punctuating her words with kisses that followed his jaw line, "Is my bedroom. And _you_ cannot go in there."

"And why not?" He tried to pretend that her kisses didn't affect him, but DG could feel what she was doing to him through the two layers of clothing separating them. It was poking her right in the middle of her stomach, and it made her grin with anticipation.

Pulling back DG looked at him with innocence and timidity, "I'm not supposed to have strange men in my bedroom, Mr. Cain."

Wyatt took a step forward, a predatory gleam in his eye that sent a shiver of excitement through DG. "What if I promised to behave?"

DG took a step back, straight into the door. She knew that Wyatt wouldn't hurt her, but this was all still very new for her and she didn't like being cornered. "Then I'm positive that you can't go in there," she replied with a huff as he blocked her only route for escape with his body.

One of his arms slid around her waist, pulling her flush with his rock hard body, while the other one found her hair, tangling the dark curls around his strong fingers he tilted her face toward his.

Her heart beat wildly as she took in the look in his dilated eyes. He wanted her. She tilted her face up, following the not-so-gentle tugging in her hair. His lips came crashing down on hers in something that felt nothing like anything either had experienced. It could only be called a kiss in the broadest of terms - it was more like a primal marking of property.

And it felt wonderful.

When he pulled back for air, she growled low in her throat, causing him to chuckle. "Easy there, darlin'," he whispered huskily, "We've got all night to play."

DG's eyes grew wide and full of lust and yearning, "Promise?" she whispered back, leaning in to find out if the skin covering the tendon that connected his neck to his shoulder tasted as good as it looked.

Now it was Wyatt's turn to groan, "Promise," he replied.

When Wyatt pulled away again, DG groaned in frustration. "We have to stop," he said, breathing heavily from the emotions running through him.

DG's eyes went wide, a bit of fear taking root in her heart, "Why? Did I do something wrong?"

Wyatt backed up further, taking a seat on the settee that was closest to him. He shook his head, his eyes smoldering with want and need, "No, darlin' you didn't do anything wrong."

"Then, why?" DG asked, taking deep, calming breaths as she went to sit on the other side of the settee her bond-mate had chosen.

Wyatt smiled sadly, cupping her face in one of his hands. She leaned in to the touch instinctively as he said, "Because if we kept on doin' that, then we'd wind up in a place that neither of us are ready to be right now, darlin'. No matter how much I want to throw you down right now and have my wicked way with you."

DG blushed at the insinuation, part of her incredibly frustrated that he was going to make her wait, but another part was pleased that he was willing to wait as they got to know each other a bit more.

--

Az could feel the water filling her lungs as she gasped for air. Damn the witch and her watery prison. Always surrounded, but never touching. The Wicked Witch of the East hadn't even been given the freedom of movement during her captivity. Her punishment for surviving having a house fall on her, and being more powerful than her sisters ever were.

Even Glinda hadn't been able to kill her.

By the time that bitch Dorothy had given birth to a female child from her consort, East had already been locked in her watery cell. Damn them.

Az took another breath, trying to catch some oxygen in with the water.

"Azkadellia!" Aerenesa cried as she helped her daughter sit up, coughing up whatever had been choking her breathing. The water spilled forth from the young sorceress's lungs as if she was a fountain.

Anger: pure, unadulterated rage filled Nesa's heart as she watched her eldest daughter try to clear her lungs from the aftermath of whatever spell it was that East had cast. She tightened her grip on Az's shivering body, unwilling to lose her other child to forces outside her control.

As Az got her breathing under control, her mother pulled her into a hug, knowing that no words could properly relay the fear both had felt.

--

Wyatt found Jeb easily after he had left DG's company. It seemed that the castle was already responding to him, and took him straight to his son, who was playing with his new toy on a bench in the Queen's garden.

He groaned as he sat down beside his boy, "I'm getting to old for this."

Jeb smiled at his dad, "I don't think DG thinks so, and neither do I."

"Since when did you get so perceptive?"

"Since you started kissing in hallways," Jeb shot back with a grin.

Wyatt rolled his eyes with a smile. "Do you like it here?" he asked carefully.

Jeb nodded, his eyes following the small pieces of the cube as he moved them on the central axis.

"Would you like to stay here?"

"With DG?"

"Yes. With DG."

"Would she be my new mother?"

The simple complexity of the question threw Wyatt for a loop. What would DG be to Jeb? She was barely four annuals older than he was. There was only one way he knew to answer that question without hurting his son or his bond-mate: "Only if you want her to be."

Jeb nodded, glancing up to meet his father's pensive gaze, "I think I'd like that."

"Good," his father let a smile transform his face for the better. He didn't smile enough as far as most were concerned, but DG was trying her best to fix that.

"Now, about you wandering off into the woods without telling anyone ..."

"Aw, Dad, I told you I wouldn't do it again," Jeb whined.

All traces of the easy-going man from moments before were gone, "And I told you that we'd talk about it later. Guess what? Later is now."

Jeb grumbled under his breath as he put down his cube and looked at his father's eyes. He knew the set-up for a lecture when he saw it.

"You could have gotten seriously hurt pulling a stunt like that, Jeb!" Wyatt's eyes held a real fear that sent shame coursing through Jeb's young body. "I don't know what I would have done if you'd ..." he trailed off, unsure he could finish that statement without breaking down.

"You, mister, have just earned yourself a bodyguard." Jeb's eyes widened - someone was going to follow him around _all_ day? His eyes flickered past his father to see a hobgoblin female a little taller than he was, looking menacing with a sword hanging from her waist and he could only guess at what other weapons she had hidden.

"This is Coriander. She managed to keep DG out of a lot of trouble when she was growing up, I'm positive she can keep you in line, as well," Wyatt's voice brokered no argument from his son, who silently watched him get up and leave to get ready for dinner.

Jeb turned back to Coriander and gulped. It would be hard to get past someone who looked so scary.

A/N: It seems that the more papers I have to write, the less time I have to write, and somehow you still get this chapter out ... albeit a day later than I had hoped. Explainations and confrontations coming up next, I promise.

In fact ... (pretend _The Days of Our Lives_ theme song is playing)

Next time on_ A Different Life_:

_The witch gave an evil cackle that sent chills down the spines of all who heard it. "You don't even know how to kill me," she taunted the Gale women as they held hands together against her._

Wyatt watched as DG held her head up defiantly, unwilling to appear weak before her uncle's guests that surrounded them in the ballroom. He looked at the tray a frightened hobgoblin servant was holding next to him. Water.


	17. We Didn't Start the Fire

DG went to bed early that night, exhausted after the days events. She fell asleep gladly knowing that much of her grief would be erased in the morning by the land to which she was bound.

Luckily, things seemed to mellow out a little as a few of the more persnickety of the suitors left after finding out about her engagement to Wyatt, and she was able to spend some quality time with her sister (and Wyatt and Jeb) before the rest of the guests arrived at the end of the week to begin the wedding festivities.

"A little bird told me a very interesting story about you, Az," DG said, her voice light despite the nature of her words. She turned to face her sister as they sat on a hill, gazing out over the Labyrinth, "You've been spending a lot of time with Zero, haven't you?"

Az turned back to look at her little sister, "It's not as bad as Mother made it sound, Deej."

"She said you two were found asleep by the morning patrol. How is that _not_ bad?" DG was very confused why her sister would take such a risk with her reputation. No one wanted to marry a 'loose' princess, even if she was going to get the crown one day.

The elder princess turned quickly to look back out at the view. She watched in silence for a few moments as the Labyrinth changed right before their eyes. "He proposed, Deej."

There was a shocker. "And?"

"I said no." Az's voice was soft and sad, and it broke DG's heart to hear her speak that way.

"Why?"

"Because not all of us are lucky enough to be able to marry for love, DG," Az replied, tears glistening in her eyes. Her voice turned to a whisper as she added, "I have to do what's best for the O.Z., little sister. It doesn't afford as much freedom in its future monarch as the Labyrinth does."

"What are you talking about?" Since when did the Labyrinth afford her freedom? Most days it felt like a gilded cage with too many rooms to explore.

"You can go wherever you please, Deej, and no one stops you." It was in the moment that Az began her rant that DG realized how jealous her sister was of her perceived freedom, and how much she needed a vacation from it all.

"I'm never alone, Az," DG said, her eyes matching her sister's for wide sincerity. "I haven't been really alone ever since I was six and managed to clog up the city square fountain with Uncle's back was turned for two seconds to speak with someone."

Az smirked a bit at the picture that was set in her mind. Deej would do something like that. "That's why I have Ding, Bing, and Ring," she continued. "They can change size so they fit easily into my hair when it's up, or they'll just ride in my boots, but I'm not alone and I've never been able to go off by myself like you can. Hell, Az, even the lichen has eyes!"

"I guess I never thought about that."

"Az, I love you, but you seem to have this idea about living here that is almost completely false." DG began to form an idea in her mind then and added, "Why don't you stay here after the wedding? Get a feel for being a Labyrinthine princess?"

She thought about it for some time before saying, "I don't think Mother would agree unless you agreed to spend an equal amount of time in the O.Z."

DG frowned, "I hadn't thought of that. But, I suppose I have to meet Wyatt's parents sooner or later, right? Might as well be sooner."

--

"Have I told you yet that I find that dress simply unacceptable for you to wear? You shouldn't be allowed to wear it in public," Wyatt said, taking in, again, the vision that was DG in a court gown that hugged her figure and was just south of being suggestive.

DG looked down at her dress with a frown, "What's wrong with it? I'll have you know that the seamstresses spent many long hours working on this. On all of my dresses, actually."

He spun her close to him and nuzzled her ear. "Because," he whispered, trailing a hand down her side in a very suggestive manner, "It gives a man ideas."

"Oh," DG said, blushing crimson at the insinuation and the heat that ran through her at his voice. "Would you prefer they stick me in the kind of gown my mother wears?"

"Don't tempt me, darlin'," he replied, pulling back slightly, "Or I'll just have to tell them to do just that."

"STOP following me!" Jeb groused as he rounded the corner to find his father talking to DG. He pointed back at Coriander, who had a smirk on her otherwise impassive face. "She won't stop following me."

DG tilted her head to one side and replied with wide eyes, "That's what a body guard does, Jeb. What were you expecting? That she'd check in on you every once in a while to make sure you're not causing any trouble? That's not very realistic for the future Prince of the Labyrinth."

"Prince?" Jeb and Wyatt questioned simultaneously.

The princess looked at the two in shock, "What? Did you think that after the wedding he wouldn't be made a prince? You're going to be my step-son, Jeb. That will give you certain rights and duties."

"Do I get to wear a crown?"

"Only for state functions, but yes, there is a crown. I can show it to you later tonight, if you like." She looked at Coriander, "Or you could just ask Coriander to show you."

Coriander smirked at the look of utter shock on Jeb's face. She motioned behind them, "Come on, Jeb. I'll take you down to see it."

"Okay," Jeb said dejectedly, hanging his head at the knowledge that he was going to be going to see his crown with his bodyguard.

"No need to be so sad about it, Jeb," DG said with a wry smile, "Cori only bites if you do something really bad. Like clog up the fountain in Goblin City Square."

Coriander raised her eyebrows at DG, "I didn't bite you because you clogged the fountain. I bit you because you refused to let go of my arm as you started crying incessantly _after_ you clogged the fountain."

"You still bit me."

Jeb decided it probably wasn't a good idea to make Coriander upset.

--

Sarah twirled around in her dress, watching it sparkle and shine in the mirrors that surrounded her. The butterflies in her stomach refused to settle down as she thought about what today was. It was her wedding day. She was finally going to become the Goblin Queen. Jareth's Goblin Queen.

"You look perfect, Sarah," Az said when she came into the dressing room to find her aunt and her sister. She turned to DG and added, "You do too, Deej."

"Compliments all around to the excellent seamstresses on staff," Sarah said, smiling warmly at her niece. It should have been a little weird to have a niece the same age as she was, but then again, no weirder than becoming queen of a magickal realm that wasn't supposed to exist in her world.

"It's more than that," Az replied, "It compliments your beauty."

Sarah blushed and whispered, "Thank you."

"Now, you remember what to expect once this starts, don't you?" DG asked, wanting to make sure Sarah wouldn't tense up half-way through.

Sarah nodded, "You and Azkadellia will walk down first and take your places beside the high priest. Then I walk out, and meet Jareth half way down the isle, to signify the movement of both of us toward compromise. Then we walk together to kneel before the high priest and the two of you. And follow the directions as they come. Blessings are said, promises are given, and we're bound together by the Labyrinth's magick - again."

"Perfect," DG nodded. "Don't forget that you will take Uncle's right hand with your right hand, and you will walk on his right side, your steps in perfect harmony with his. And only kneel once both of you have shared in the sacramental wine."

"Right. Don't kneel before we drink." The bride nodded once in determination. She would not screw this up. This was her wedding day.

--

The ball ending the wedding celebrations was well under way and everything was going as smoothly as could be expected. There was the usual ruffled feathers from the nobles that felt Jareth had wronged them in some small way, as well as the lords who were quite miffed about DG's choice of mate, that had been revealed at the start of the evening. But despite it all, none could deny that Jareth and Sarah looked truly happy as they danced together to the song that he had composed for her.

Nesa watched both of her daughters twirl around the dance floor, gracefully spinning through the other couples like some well worked machine. They looked beautiful; Azkadellia dancing with Ambrose, and DG dancing with Wyatt.

Her heart swelled with pride at seeing how happy both of them were. Ambrose would make a wonderful prince consort for the O.Z. It was fortuitous that Azkadellia had rejected Adrian Zero when he had proposed. The man was so unrefined it grated on Nesa's nerves. She could understand Az wanting what her husband called a 'fling' but she refused to believe that she would be happy with someone so far beneath her.

After the dance was over, DG and Azkadellia made their way over to their mother, their dance partners at their sides. When they were in front of her, DG dropped into a curtsey. "Forgive my rude behavior of the other day, your majesty," she apologized, her eyes downcast. "It won't happen again."

Nesa put her hand under DG's chin, bringing her up to stand again, "All is forgiven. Never lose that spark, my angel. See to it, Colonel Cain."

"I will, your majesty," Wyatt replied with a soft smile toward his bond mate.

DG smiled back at him as her mother continued, "And when will the wedding be?"

"We haven't decided yet," DG responded.

"Perhaps the winter solstice," Az suggested. "It has always been your favorite time of year, DG."

"Perhaps," DG replied.

Suddenly, a pillar of smoke arose in the center of the ballroom. Wyatt pushed DG behind him, instinctually going for the gun he kept on his waist. His motto was: You can never be too careful. Especially with the safety of those he loved involved.

Gasps were heard throughout the ballroom as more and more of the guests recognized the Evil Witch of the East from stories passed down from the days of the original slipper, Dorothy Gale.

"Az killed you!" DG stated firmly with a glare, moving to stand between Az and their mother. The three locked hands and their magicks sparked as they mingled together menacingly.

The witch gave an evil cackle that sent chills down the spines of all who heard it. She stalked closer to the trio, letting a bolt of fiery magick out to crack against the wall of the ballroom in a horrible display of power. "You don't even know _how_ to kill me," she taunted the Gale women as they held their hands tighter.

Wyatt watched as DG held her head up defiantly, unwilling to appear weak before her uncle's guests that surrounded them in the ballroom. He looked at the tray a frightened hobgoblin servant was holding next to DG, and slightly behind him. Water.

His history lessons long past came rushing back to him. Water was how Dorothy Gale had killed the Wicked Witch of the West. There was only one way to tell if it would work against her sister as well. He watched in fascination and horror as the witch let out more blasts of magick above the heads of the guests. It looked like she was planning on letting the guests live long enough to see the deaths of the royals.

"King Jackson was a fool letting you live," the Witch said snidely.

Leaving no time for him to contemplate what he was about to do, and making sure that the witch was occupied with the three women, Wyatt grabbed one of the largest glasses of water, silently thanking DG for insisting on water instead of wine.

As he made his way around toward the back of the witch, he saw DG smile haughtily in a manner that reminded him of her uncle. "You seem to be forgetting something, Witch," she said coldly.

"I believe you're mistaken on that count, you little Gale bitch," the Witch of the East replied, pulling herself up to her full height and gathering ugly green magick around her sickly green skin.

"I don't think so," DG replied a split second after Wyatt threw the water onto the witch's exposed neck. As she began to shriek and melt, DG stepped closer, surrounding her with a shield that would stop any attempts at harming anyone else in her last moments of life. She knelt down beside the melting woman and added, "Tell your sister we said hello."

"This is not the end," the witch shrieked as she melted into a puddle that looked exactly like the one Azkadellia and DG had seen in the cave eleven years before.

Nesa cast her magick out over the puddle, making sure that there was no glamour over it. Finding none, she turned and gave Azkadellia a hug. Wyatt scooped DG up in his arms as he stepped over the remains of the wicked witch.

Jareth looked from the pile remains to his niece and sister. Sarah was held tightly to his side in a protective gesture. "This. Means. War," he ground out.

A/N: So sorry this is coming so late to you guys, but I've had a terribly busy week and didn't really find very much time to write.

Hope you enjoyed the fluff, and the action (although it's probably not the kind you were hoping for - lol).


	18. Love Will Keep Us Together

The night air was crisp as the wind whipped through his hair in a harsh caress. Today marked one annual that the war had lasted between Labyrinthia and Midland, the kingdom of Jackson le Monté. no one was sorrier for the war than he was, for it kept him from his beloved and delayed their marriage.

"General," a voice said from the entryway, "The commander of Midland's army wishes to speak with you concerning a cease-fire."

He turned slightly toward the direction the messenger stood. "You may return and inform him that we will only accept a decree of complete surrender from the mouth of King Jackson himself. Complete surrender."

"Yes, sir, General Dugan."

"Dismissed." Dugan went back to watching the wind blow through the trees. Perhaps he'd be able to see his beloved sooner than he had though. Perhaps this war would be over and they could all just go home. Perhaps pigs knew how to fly Aboveground.

* * *

"If you want to go then just go," DG told him, her voice forceful and full of unspoken emotions.

"Not with you acting like this," Wyatt replied, moving toward her as she moved to stalk away. He followed her through the door to her sitting room, "What's wrong with me going to see them?"

DG opened her mouth to reply with the real reason she had a problem with him leaving her at Finaqua to go visit his parents. He hadn't even bothered to ask her if she wanted to go with him. Instead she said, "Nothing. I'm just stressed because it's my time of the month, Wyatt. Go. See your parents. Have a good time with Jeb."

With a swift move, Wyatt backed her up against the sofa, his hands grabbing her wrists so that she wouldn't fight back. He leaned in and breathed in her scent, "Liar."

Her eyes closed as she responded to pheromones he was exuding. The man was a walking aphrodisiac and didn't even seem to realize it. They had been arguing hadn't they? She frowned at the effect he had on her, not liking that she couldn't remember why they were fighting, "What?"

"You're not supposed to start your cycle until next week." He pulled back and gazed at her critically, "What's the matter, DG?"

She sighed and shook her head, "Nothing, Wyatt. Absolutely nothing."

He let go of her wrists and pointed a finger at her, "We're going to have to talk about this communication thing, sweetheart. But right now you need to go pack. They're expecting us by the first sunset tomorrow."

DG furrowed her brow, "What? Us?"

"My mother has been nagging me to bring you to meet her in every single letter she's sent since I told her the news." Wyatt shook his head, remembering some of the more colorful terms his mother had used to get her point across. "She'd probably disown me if I didn't bring you with me and Jeb."

She wasn't sure what to say to that statement. She hadn't been kidding when she'd said that her hormones were going all wacky, but part of her had been so sure. She didn't know what to say. "Oh."

He smiled at her, that mischievous smile that sent her insides all topsy-turvy. Leaning in again, he cupped her face in his hands, loving that she was his and his alone. Wyatt's lips brushed her, relishing the soft smoothness of them. "Gods, your beautiful," he whispered against her mouth.

DG chose to respond in a nonverbal fashion. She could pack later.

* * *

Jeb was so excited about going to see his grandparents that it made DG a little bit less nervous about going to meet her future in-laws. But only a little.

"Grandma's going to love you, Mom," Jeb maintained. Not-so-secretly, he was glad that Coriander wouldn't be coming on this little trip. He had started calling DG Mom about a month into their four-month stay at Finaqua. It had brought tears to DG's eyes and made her heart swell that he'd think of her like that even though there really weren't very many annuals difference in their ages.

"You keep saying that, but you never seem to mention how your grandfather will like me," DG teased, trying to smile and ease the foreboding in her stomach.

"Dad is going to love you, too," Wyatt said, walking past the two as he put the last trunk in the back of the truck they would be taking for the trip. Shock absorbers were such a wonderful invention.

"Are you sure?" DG asked again for the thousandth time that morning.

Wyatt gave her a peck on the lips. "As sure as I am that in a couple of hours your going to be regretting putting that waist cincher on so tightly."

DG humphed, "I didn't. The maids did. Something about me having to appear as thin as possible when going to meet your parents." She looked down, "I look like a twig."

"Hmph," Wyatt snorted noncommittally, motioning for her to turn around. Experience had taught him that with such comments silence was best. He whistled at how tightly strung the leather was, "What'd they do to get it on this tight? Pull with all their might and hope the leather didn't tear?"

"Something like that," DG said as she found herself able to breath again as her bonded loosened the ties to a more reasonable tightness. "Goblin leather is extremely durable. It doesn't tear."

"Thank you." A voice came from DG's cincher.

Wyatt raised his eyebrows, "Does Goblin leather talk?"

She snorted, "That's Ding. He attached himself to the inside pocket of the cincher - right next to my dagger, before the maids started pulling it tight. Must mean he can breath again."

"Yep," another voice said from her back. "Breath great now that guardian-man loosened the strings."

Wyatt's eyebrows shot up to his hairline. "And that was ...?"

"Ring. Bling is hiding in my hair."

"Nope," a voice said from her boot. A little head popped up. "Maids made me move. Don't wanna mess up Princess's hair. Too pretty."

Wyatt shook his head as Bling disappeared again into DG's right boot. "I don't think I'm ever going to get used to those three."

DG smiled, "They can hear you, you know."

"I know. That's what's so weird." He shook his head in attempt to get rid of the weirdness that was her three bodyguards. Never before meeting her had he known bodyguards to actually station themselves on the body.

DG smiled down at her shoe, "He must really want me to make a good impression. Normally I can't get him off my head unless I'm about to bathe." She shrugged, "But you've got to admit, it's better the little goblins than an army escort every day."

"Speaking of which, where is our escort?"

DG nodded behind him and Wyatt turned to see the ten guards that would be accompanying the three on their journey. Among them was one Adrian Zero.

The former Tin Man nodded at him as DG gave him a heartfelt smile. It wasn't easy to see why Az had decided to spurn him in favor of Duke Stuffy-Pants she didn't even remotely like. Granted, the Duke's fortune and lands would be a great alliance for the monarchy, but DG couldn't help thinking that Zero would have been a better choice for her sister. Probably not a better choice for the kingdom, but for her sister there was no one better than the man she loved.

"Perfecting the art of being late, are we?" Cain asked the group of men. Not waiting for a response he nodded once, "Let's move."

* * *

DG found Zero sitting in one of the trucks by himself come the mid-day meal. She had left Wyatt and Jeb with the rest of the men at the tavern while she went in search of the missing soldier.

"Hey," she said softly as she leaned against the vehicle.

He barely looked up from the flower he twirled in his fingers. "Hello, Princess."

"It's DG," she replied firmly. "Just because she said no doesn't change that."

He snorted softly, "Your parents are happy about that."

She rolled her eyes at him, "My parents want what's best for the O.Z. and they think that the money Duke What's-His-Name has in his coffers will be best for the O.Z. Me? My first concern is Azkadellia's happiness and wellbeing. He doesn't make her nearly as happy as I know you did."

He shook his head, crushing the fragile flower within his hand. He looked up at her with a hard gaze that held a great deal of heart-ache that left DG's own heart sore, "Still doesn't change anything. She refused me and she's going to marry him in a matter of months."

The princess didn't know what to say. She reached over and put her hand on top of the one still crushing the flower within its grasp.

"For what it's worth," she said slowly, her eyes never leaving his, "I was kind of looking forward to having you as my brother-in-law."

His hard veneer fell slightly as he read the truthfulness in her eyes. "I was kind of looking forward to being your brother-in-law," he whispered.

DG opened her mouth to say something more but felt something sweep by the top of her hair. Her very elaborately done-up hair. Zero watched as she scowled and started yelling seemingly at her clothing. "That's it! Out you three get. You will fix my hair the way it's supposed to be or so help me all three of you will be swimming in the Bog before you can blink."

Zero watched in fascination as three tiny blurs raced up DG's form and into her hair. He heard what sounded like whispering as her hair was taken down from its elaborate style. The goblins worked quickly to style the hair in a simple knot at the nape of the princess's neck.

The next thing he knew two of the blurs raced back down her frame to disappear into her clothing.

"Thank you," DG said. Three distinctive "you're welcome"s came from various parts of her body.

"Where those ...?" Zero asked, his brow furrowed in confusion.

DG nodded, "Yep. Goblins. My trio of goblin body guards."

"Hm," he replied, unsure what to say to that.

Luckily for him, he was saved having to answer by the laughter that was uniquely Wyatt Cain's. The pair turned around to find DG's bonded grinning wildly at her. "I see your hair is back to normal."

She shrugged, her eyes dancing with Wyatt's infectious mirth, even if it was at her expense. "Nothing a threat of a dip in the Bog couldn't fix. You ready to hit the road again?"

Wyatt nodded, pulling her into a possessive embrace. "Almost. Jeb's just about ready."

"Good." She smiled brilliantly up at him, "I can hardly wait to meet your parents."

* * *

"Wyatt?" DG asked a short while later as he drove the truck with skill, Jeb playing with his cube in the back. DG glanced at the profile of her bond-mate, watching his reaction. "What are your parent's names?"

He smiled, "I haven't told you?"

"No, you haven't," she replied with a smile of her own.

"Are you sure? I could have sworn I told you." He was teasing her and she knew it. That was the only reason her glare was mocking.

"I'm sure I would remember if you'd told me before."

"Well, if your sure," he shrugged, "Their names are Jack and Millie."

"Thank you. Anyone else whose going to be there that I should know about?" DG asked with a smile. It wasn't that he never spoke of his family, but it was always so hard to get him to tell her people's names for some reason.

"I don't know," he glanced in the rear view mirror at Jeb, "You think we should tell her about Uncle Elliot?"

Jeb looked up at that name, "Uncle Elliot's gonna be there?"

"Yep."

"Whose Elliot?" DG asked, a clear whine in her voice.

"My younger brother."

"You mean the younger brother you told me took over your farm after you moved to Central City?" DG asked, trying to clarify things in her own mind.

Wyatt glanced at her before turning his attention back to the road. "I only have one brother, DG. It's my sisters you're going to have to watch out for."

This statement caused DG to pull up short. Sisters? He'd never mentioned any sisters. "Sisters?" she whispered with a squeak.

"Don't worry, Mom," Jeb said from the back seat, "Aunt Gwen is gonna love you, too."

DG gave the boy a wane smile, "Thanks, Jeb."

Wyatt grinned as she asked, "How many sisters?"

He responded as calmly as he could. Surprisingly well, considering she was giving him that look that said if she wasn't bound to him he'd be knee deep in the Bog of Eternal Stench. He'd smelt it once from a few hundred yards away. That was enough.

"Five."

* * *

A/N: What can I say? I like the idea of a big Cain clan. I hope you liked it. I would have prefered to wait a little bit longer to give you guys a longer chapter, but then I realized how long it's been since I last updated. My sincerest apologies. If you can remember a time when you were a college student wih seventeen units and a part-time job, then I'm sure you understand.


	19. We Are Family

A/N: I don't really like putting these things at the top of the chapter but I just had to say this: LET'S GET READY TO RUMBLE!!!!!!!! This is it: the family. ... Well, not all of them, but the dynamics are rather like my own family so let's see what happens. Oh, and I gave Wyatt's sisters different initials so that they're easier to tell about.

* * *

"So?" DG prodded after a spell of silence.

"So, what?" Wyatt asked, knowing what she wanted him to say but wanting to hear her say it first.

"What are your sisters like?"

"Gwen is older than me by a few annuals. Real mother hen, that one. Been pregnant twelve times. She had four little ones by the time Jeb came along," Wyatt explained, glancing back at his son and feeling something akin to peace in the way his life had come together. "Amy's two annuals younger than me. Took up law enforcement, too, as soon as she was old enough."

"So she's a lot like you?" DG questioned, interrupting him.

He sent her a chiding glare, "Guess so. Then there's Babette and Hanah. They're less than an annual apart - Babette's six annuals younger than me and Hanah is nearly seven. They like to cause mischief."

"Like the goblins," Jeb shot in from the back seat.

His father glared at him, "Yes, like the goblins. Then there's Jael, the youngest. As soon as she was old enough she dedicated herself to Lurline's temple."

DG furrowed her brow. She had more questions but first she wanted to get something straight, "So the oldest is Gwen, and she has a lot of children; then there's Amy, who's also a Tin Man; then Babette and Hanah who apparently act like goblins; and then Jael, who's a priestess. Right?"

Wyatt nodded, "That's right."

"Why didn't any of them help you with Jeb when he was little?" The question was blunt, but DG still wanted to know why his five sisters wouldn't help with his son.

He shook his head, "Like I said, Gwen already had four little ones to look after by the time Jeb came around - the youngest being about his age. She helped as much as she could ... but I wasn't expecting much from her in that way. She had a lot of other children to worry about without having to add Jeb to the list. Amy was working in the Realm of the Unwanted from right out of training up until about three years ago. Babette and Hanah by that time were traveling with a group of gypsies. And Jael did help at the beginning. Before she took her vows when Jeb was two."

"Oh," DG replied, shocked that his family could have such a variety of characters within it. "And where does Elliot fall into all of this?"

"Elliot is younger than me by about three minutes," he glanced at her to see the shock on her face that he had a twin. "Don't worry, we're not identical. His hair is brown."

DG had to repress a smile at that, wondering if Elliot would be anywhere near as handsome as her Wyatt was. Not that she'd tell him that she thought he was handsome - his ego was already inflated enough as it was with the fact that the Labyrinth chose _him_ to protect her. No one else, just him.

"You never talk about any of them," DG whined good naturedly as the forest they had been driving through transformed into the field lands of the southern quarter of the O.Z.

Wyatt gave her a mock glare, "That's not true. I told you about my parents."

"After I nagged you for three weeks straight," DG replied with an eye roll, "And you never once mentioned your siblings."

"Now I know that's not true. I must've mentioned them at least once." He frowned slightly as he thought. "I know I told you I had siblings last solstice when we were talking about the wedding plans."

"I seem to remember you just saying that you had family in the temple. That was it."

"I'm sure I mentioned the gypsies."

* * *

"Marcus, Andy! Hurry up and get in here, they'll be here soon!" Gwen called out to her two boys as they ran around the yard. Her brother was coming home. Bringing with him his bride - a Crown Princess, no less. Gwen smiled as she thought about Wyatt ... he always did have a way to make a stir in the family. First marrying a Goblin citizen and now the heir to the Goblin throne. What would he do next?

She so wanted the princess to like the family. "It would be horrendous if the Princess DG thought us uncivilized. She is so accustomed to palace life ... how will she react to our country ways?" Gwen thought out loud. Her husband looked at her with eyes that glittered with love.

"I'm positive that she'll love you once you give her room to breath, Gwen," Erik said with a smile. "Wyatt and Jeb both seem taken with her - she can't be that bad."

Gwen gave her husband a hard look, "Wyatt also thought Adora was a good catch. We both remember how that turned out, don't we?"

Erik nodded, "That doesn't mean the Princess is going to desert him like Adora did. I'm not even sure she could if she wanted to. Didn't he say something about a bonding?"

Gwen shook hear head in defeat as her mother came back into the kitchen, "But to grow up without a mother? We've all heard the stories of the Labyrinth and its king."

Millie set down the basket of vegetables she was carrying with a bang. Her voice dripped with barely controlled anger as she said, "You'd do well to remember, daughter mine, that you are talking about your in-laws and some of the most powerful magick wielders in this or _any_ land."

Gwen hung her head, unsure what to say in response. Her husband responded for her, "But, Millie, you have to admit that it does seem a bit ... odd that Wyatt and Jeb find themselves attached so firmly to the Crown Princess of the Goblin Realm."

"You don't have to be so formal about it, Erik," Millie replied in a chastising tone. "Yes, she is many annuals younger than Wyatt, but that does not mean that they don't love each other and it does not mean that they are not perfect for each other." She started unpacking her basket, "Besides, in his letters he mentioned something about a bonding with the Labyrinth itsself. He said that the Land chose them for each other."

"Wait, Mother," a new voice said, "Are you saying that a maze decided that Wyatt should get remarried to a women barely four annuals older than his son?"

"The Labyrinth is much more than a maze, Babette," Millie reminded her daughter. "But, yes, that is exactly what I'm saying."

She gave her two daughters a hard look, "Now no more of this nonsense. There's work to be done."

* * *

"How can you be so sure that they'll like me?"

Wyatt raised an eyebrow at his bonded as she packed back and forth in front of him as they stopped for a quick break in a small town that they were passing through. There was still another three hours of driving before they reached the farmhouse where he'd spent his childhood.

"You seem mighty out of sorts for a woman who has stared down a king and threatened to castrate him," he commented, taking a drink of water before setting the canteen down.

DG stopped pacing and glared at him, "This isn't funny!"

"No," he replied, grabbing her hands and pulling her into his lap. He wrapped his arms around her as he said, "It's hilarious."

She humpfed as he chuckled. "I don't know what's wrong with me, Wyatt. It's just ... it's really important to me that they like me. And you didn't even tell me who most of 'them' were until a few hours ago!"

"Just be yourself, darlin'," he whispered into her hair, "And they'll love you just as much as I do."

DG gave him a peculiar look. "Well ... maybe not just as much," she replied with a grin, "Wouldn't want any jealous siblings on our hands, would we?"

Instead of a verbal response, Wyatt leaned in and captured her lips.

"Eeeww," Jeb said. "You guys need to stop doing there where I can see you."

DG and Wyatt couldn't help but laugh as they remembered a few weeks back when Jeb had caught them kissing on the gazebo at Finaqua. DG couldn't recall a single time in her life when she'd been as happy as she was with Wyatt and Jeb.

Now if she could only convince Wyatt that it was okay for them to ... _consummate_ their bonding before their marriage in a little over six months.

* * *

Azkadellia looked at her reflection in the mirror. She looked like a snowball with all the petticoats the seamstresses put underneath her gown to give it shape. A lone tear escaped to run down her face as she listened to her heart break again.

Why had she agreed to this? She didn't want to marry Duke Sommerfield. He was a horrid man with too much money ... and that was why she'd marry him.

His money would help the farmers whose crops were failing. It would allow the O.Z. to repay the foriegn debts the crown owed. All he asked was for the princess's hand in marriage. Azkadellia's hand.

With all her heart she wished her dress didn't make her look like a snowball ... or the angel that the Duke insisted she resembled so strongly. She felt like a cad.

Another tear escaped her eye to run down her face and leave a mark on her breast, just above her heart.

"Your highness?" the seamstress asked, looking up from where she was pinning the hem of the gown. "Are you alright?"

Azkadellia nodded stiffly, "Of course. I'm just a little overwhelmed with the preparations for the wedding."

The older woman nodded, her eyes betraying her lack of trust in Azkadellia's words. "Of course, your highness. I'm almost finished."

Half an hour later Azkadellia was alone in her dressing room, having dismissed her maids after they had helped her remove the monstrosity of a gown she'd be forced to wear in a few short months.

She looked around to double check that she was alone before she waved a hand to put a silencing spell over her chamber. She moved to her vanity and opened the bottom drawer. She removed the contents before waving her hand again, revealing the box that fit snugly into the bottom of the drawer.

Opening it, Azkadellia removed the two items inside: an old cotton shirt obviously made for a man; and a compass attached to a chain so she could wear it around her neck. She slipped it around her neck, knowing it would rest next to her other pendant perfectly. Her hand caressed the face of the compass with tenderness and love.

"_So you'll always be able to find your way back to me_," he had told her, giving her a smile that made her heart burst with love.

Azkadellia brought the shirt to her face, enhaling the scent of the man she so longed to be with.

Tear began to flow again, and this time she did not stop them as she clung to the shirt, "Oh, Adrian."

* * *

DG could feel her sister's heart breaking through the magick of their pendants. She knew what would heal it, but Az wouldn't let her. The older princess insisted that she must go through with the marriage -- no matter who ended up getting hurt in the process.

Unconsciously, DG began to finger the pendant she wore above her clothes, sending comfort to her sister through their bond.

Wyatt watched her actions out of the corner of his eye. "Azkadellia?" he asked curiously, worried for the woman who was as good as his sister-in-law.

DG nodded, clutching the pendant in a firm grip. "She grows sadder and sadder as the wedding grows closer and closer." Her imploring eyes met her bond mate's, "Wyatt, I don't know how to help her."

He took one of his hands off the steering wheel and squeezed her thigh comfortingly, "Sometimes there's nothin' you can do, darlin'. This may be one of those times. She's made her choice."

"Well it was the wrong one," DG was adamant on her opinion of the matter. "It isn't just about her, either. You saw how upset Zero is about all of this."

Wyatt nodded, unsure what to say but knowing that he had to say something otherwise his bonded was going to do something foolish. "When did you find out about the bonding?" he asked even though he knew the answer.

DG gave him a funny look, "When Az got kidnapped. You know that, Wyatt."

He nodded, but answered by asking another question, "Why didn't you tell me about it then?"

"I wanted what was best for you," she answered slowly. "If I had told you then you would have felt obligated in a way that you weren't."

"This isn't so different from that, darlin'," he replied after a time.

"How so?"

"You did what you thought best regardless of how you felt about it." His eyes flickered to hers for a moment before turning back to the road, "Just like she's doin' now. Only difference is that she has a choice in who she marries."

"There was a choice, Wyatt." Her voice was so soft he had to strain to hear it. The uncertainty there was enough to make him wonder exactly what she thought he thought of the situation.

His hand squeezed hers again as he said, "I don't regret for one moment making the one that I did."

* * *

Two travelers on horseback approached the farmhouse. One was clearly visible, a woman, dressed in the uniform of a Tin Man astride a black gelding. Her hair was a muted blonde color that glinted red in the late afternoon sun. The other was dressed in the flowing robes of a priestess of Lurline, her hair so blonde it was often mistaken for white.

There was no mistaking that they were sisters.

"When did he say that they'd get here, Amy?" the younger of the two women, the priestess, inquired as the two women dismounted.

"Before the second sun sets, Jael," Amy responded in a manner that would lead one to believe she'd been responding to the same question for the past three hours. _Boy_ could Jael be impatient.

"I think it might be a bit sooner than that, Amy," Jael replied, holding her horse's reigns in one hand as she pointed with her other to a spot down the road where two transport trucks were approaching.

"Best go inside to tell Mother, then," Amy replied.

"Tell Mother what?" Millie asked, sparing her daughters a warm smile. Jael pointed to the trucks and the protective mother inside of her came out to play, "Take the horses to the barn then get into the house. We don't know for certain it's Wyatt."

Another woman came out of the house and laughed when she saw the trucks. "It _is_ Wyatt!" she cried.

"How do you know, Hanah?" Jael questioned.

Hanah pointed to the top of the first truck, "Can't you see the hat? He probably nailed it to the top of the truck so we'd know it was him."

Millie gave her daughter a curious stare, "Wyatt loves that hat, he'd never stick a nail in it."

"Well that's _his_ hat," Hanah insisted.

Even after Jael and Amy had returned from putting their horses in the barn, Hanah was still arguing with their mother and the trucks were quite close. Close enough that the girls could clearly see that it was indeed their brother who drove the truck and there were two other people in there with him.

It wasn't until both of the trucks pulled to a stop on the grass to the side of the house that Millie and Hanah stopped arguing.

Jeb bounded out of the back of the car, running up to the women in front of the house, "Grandma!"

"Jeb!" Millie cried happily as she hugged her grandson tightly. She looked up and found Wyatt glaring half heartedly at a slip of a girl who was grinning back at him, the fedora spinning in the air just out of his reach.

"That's enough, DG," Wyatt huffed.

She shook her head, uncaring that they were attracting an audience. It wasn't exactly that she wanted to make him upset, but he was so _easy_ to pick on sometimes. "But the hat _wants_ to fly."

"No, it doesn't," he insisted, advancing on her and while she backed up toward the house.

"Oh, fine!" DG said, causing the hat to fly and land on top of Jeb's head. He giggled as she shrugged at his glare, "It's not flying now, isn't it."

Jeb laughed at the indignation on his father's face. DG always brought out the worst in him - and the best. She was the only one who was allowed to tease him like that. He let go of his grandmother and brought the hat back to his father. "You know, it's your fault the hat started flying, Dad," the boy commented as his father put his beloved hat back on his head.

"How so?" Wyatt asked, pushing his hat down to hide the pink tips of his ears.

DG raised an eyebrow at him and crossed her arms, "If you can't remember what you said half an hour ago, then I am not going to remind you."

She turned her attention to the four women who were standing watching the interaction. Immediately switching to public relations mode, DG smiled and went to greet her in-laws.

"You must be Millie," she said to Wyatt's mother. "Wyatt's told me almost nothing about you."

Millie laughed heartily at that. "Sounds just like him - not mentioning his poor old mother to his ... what was that, bonded, your highness?"

DG grinned warmly, waving a dismissive hand, "It's DG. I'm your highness only when I have to deal with nobles who think I should be covered in fifty pounds of petticoats."

She looked at the three women who were watching them with hesitant smiles. "You must be Amy," she said to the sister wearing a well cared for Tin Man uniform. She turned to the young woman wearing the priestess's robes, "And Jael." She nodded as DG turned to look at the third sister, "And ... Hanah, right?"

"That's right, your - DG," Hanah replied. "I thought Wyatt didn't tell you about us?"

The teen nodded, "He didn't until about three hours ago. But, now we'll have plenty of time to get to know each other and tell horrid stories about Wyatt to make up for it."

"Hey!" the man in question said, an indignant look on his pink face. "I can hear you plotting, you know."

The women just laughed, Millie quite certain that DG would fit in just fine once the family got over her being royal and all.

"What about your bodyguards?" Amy asked as the group moved to go into the house.

"Right, them." DG turned to look at Zero and the four other men with him, the other five were at the inn where they would be staying, making sure all the proper security was in place. "Go stalk around the perimeter glaring at renegade squirrels."

Zero silently chuckled while Wyatt huffed. She'd never let him forget about that. "Yes, your highness," he said just to irritate her. "Shall I shoot any possessed squirrels I see?"

DG chuckled, winking at Wyatt, "I think we can afford to let any possessed squirrels you find off with a warning this time, Captain."

* * *

A/N: I had to add a bit about Az so we could see how she's fairing with the wedding and all coming so close. Don't worry, though, we're not done with her just yet.

I hope you enjoyed this extra long chapter. It kept me from writing a paper I had to turn in today, I'll have you know. ... And writing it made me late to class twice this week because I write at night and woke up late. Feel the love.


	20. Changes

Jack was telling his grandchildren the story of the Great Gale when the commotion started outside. He motioned toward his son, Elliot, to go see what was going on, his story never faltering as he approached the part all the children loved best: when Dorothy Gale melted the Wicked Witch.

Elliot peered out the window at the side of the door before returning back to sit beside his father. "It's just Amy and Jael," he said after his father finished the story.

At that news, Millie got up and went to greet her two daughters, leaving the rest of her family in the living room listening to her husband's ... _embellished_ tale of the original Slipper. Soon after his daughter, Hanah, also rose and went to greet her siblings.

Babette gave her father a look, her dirty blonde hair cropped short, much like Elliot's. "Sounds like Wyatt brought some friends beside his new bride."

Jack nodded once. His face not giving away his feelings at his daughter's snide tone. He looked like an older version of both his sons, with hair white as snow and more wrinkles than either of his boys wanted to get. More scars, too.

"Best go help Gwen and Martha get things ready in the kitchen," he told his daughter, motioning toward the room with his head.

Babette groaned inwardly as she got up. She hated cooking. "Sure, Dad," she replied, slipping into the kitchen to avoid the first wave of the reunion.

Elliot went to the door and opened it wide so that those on the porch could see inside. "Well, come on inside, then," he said as five men dressed in military fatigues fanned out into the forest surrounding the house. "There's introductions to be made."

The first thing that Jack noticed about his son's bride was the way her wide eyes made her look so young. The next thing he noticed was that she looked even younger with her arm in Wyatt's and her other hand holding Jeb's. As her wide blue eyes looked around the farm house, he couldn't help but notice how his son pulled her slightly closer and how happy both Wyatt and Jeb looked beside her.

"Son," Jack said, standing to embrace his eldest son who let go of DG's arm to embrace him in return. "You're lookin' well."

"Aye," Wyatt replied, "Mostly her doin', Dad. You look well, too."

Jack smiled, turning his attention to the girl-woman at his son's side, holding his grandson's hand firmly, as if afraid he'd leave her side if she let go. "And you must be the Crown Princess DG."

She smiled back, her tone warm and inviting, "It's just DG, Mr. Cain." She gave Wyatt a look before glancing again at the other occupants of the room, "After all, there is no rank among family."

Jack raised an eyebrow at that, studiously ignoring the snort he heard from one of his daughters. "In that case, DG, please, call me Jack ... and maybe one day, Dad."

A bit of tension drained out of DG's body at his words, but it was only really noticeable to four people in the room: Jack, who was watching her very closely; Wyatt, who could feel how tense she was; Jeb, because she relaxed her grip on his hand; and Amy, who was standing behind her with the same studious gaze that their father bore.

DG looked to the two women that had just come out of the kitchen. One looked like a younger version of Millie, with a round stomach that spoke of yet another baby. The other was younger than Wyatt and had an almost reckless air about her. Addressing the first she smiled, "You must be Gwen."

Gwen nodded, a bit surprised that Wyatt had mentioned the family at all.

DG responded to her unspoken question, "Actually, it was Jeb who mentioned you first." Turning to the second woman she said, "And you must be Babette."

Babette raised an eyebrow, turning to her oldest brother as if to say, 'And this is supposed to prove what exactly? That your new wife has a good memory?'

One of Gwen's children, a girl of about six annuals, approached DG and tugged lightly on her skirt. DG looked down into eyes as blue as her bond mate's. "Hi there," she said with a friendly smile as she crouched down so she was eye level with the child. "I'm DG, what's your name?"

In one arm the girl held on tightly to a careworn doll, "Gaby." She took DG's hand out of Jeb's and tugged her over to the sofa, forcing the princess to sit down before she climbed onto her lap. "Tell me a story."

DG's eyes flickered to Wyatt's as he moved to say hello to the rest of his family. Jeb was also busy hugging relatives. Looks like she was going to have to travel this one alone. Oh well, she'd dealt with odd children before in the nurseries. This should be a piece of cake.

"What kind of story?"

"A love story," Gaby insisted.

"One with action!" Marcus insisted at the same moment.

The other children (of which there were ten) started clamoring their own requests as they moved to sit on the floor in front of DG. She raised her eyebrows, thinking of only one story that might placate them ... well ... _most_ of them.

She held up her hand and the noise from the brood stopped. "All right," she said, her eyes twinkling. Piece of cake. "_Once upon a time, there was a beautiful young girl whose stepmother always made her stay home and take care of the baby _..."

* * *

By the time the tale of how her uncle met his bond mate was over, Gaby was enraptured in her lap and more than just the children were listening to her weave the foreign tale.

"I don't think I've ever heard a tale quite like that before," Elliot commented from his place in the back of the room. "Fanciful at best."

DG's teeth glinted as she smiled at him, "It's all true."

"Really?" one of the older girls asked curiously. "Sarah's real?"

The story teller nodded, "As I live and breath. She and my uncle are currently in the Castle Beyond the Goblin City ruling over the Labyrinth."

"It's such a dark, vile place, I don't know why anyone would willingly rule there," Babette sneered, knowing her comment would earn some sort of verbal remark from the princess.

DG's eyebrow raised again as she looked at Wyatt' sister. "Have you ever been there?"

"Why would I want to travel to such an evil place?"

The carefree woman-child of moments before vanished and in her place sat the Goblin Princess. "You enjoy the night just as much as the day. Both are necessary for different reasons. The same is true for summer and winter, life and death. You cannot enjoy the beauty of light without having the darkness of shadow to compare it to."

She searched the faces of those before her, wondering just how many of them saw the Land she was bound to as evil. "How can you judge something you do not understand? The Labyrinth and her denizens are no more evil than the O.Z. and hers. Evil is created by choice, not by which part of the light spectrum someone ended up on."

"But what are goblins except creatures of nightmares?" Elliot questioned. Curiouser and curiouser. This slip of a girl seemed to have fire in her soul. He wondered how long it would take to direct it at him instead of his brother.

DG smirked, reminding Wyatt of her uncle. "Playful."

"What do goblins look like? I've never seen one," Andy asked eagerly. His mother shot him a look but he remained unrepentant.

"Would you like to?" DG responded.

At the eager nods she received from around the room, DG sat up and a groan was heard from her back. "It's your own fault for trying to squeeze into such a narrow opening," she chastised. "Now, all three of you, front and center."

The children watched in amazement as three little shadowy things removed themselves from DG's body (one coming from her boot, another from her head, and a third from the back of her waist cincher) to plop onto the ground and literally grow until each one was three feet tall.

"This is Ding, Bing, and Ring," DG informed the stunned audience. "My bodyguards and the ones who were supposed to keep me out of trouble when I snuck away from my tutors when I was younger."

Bing crossed his arms over his chest, "We wouldn't had to if you coulda jus' stayed still for five minutes!"

DG's eyes grew wide as she pointed at him, "So says the person who kept on whispering in my ear during lessons about how the Helping Hands were more interesting to listen to!"

Ding snorted and DG turned her attention to him, "And _you_! You were always after me to play tricks on the runners to get them turned around. Do you know how much trouble I got in because of that?"

Wyatt could barely control his laughter as he pulled her into his side, "Was any of it ever your fault?"

DG thought about it for a second before replying, "The fountain was my fault. That's when Uncle decided that a hobgoblin was also necessary to keep me out of trouble."

"Did it work?" Jack asked, incredibly amused at the interaction.

DG opened her mouth to respond when she felt the tugging.

"What is that?" Wyatt asked her, his brow furrowing.

"A summons," she replied, holding out her hand to make a crystal appear. "Uncle must be too busy."

"How can I feel it?" he asked, confused.

"The Labyrinth likes you," she replied matter-of-factly as she stood, silently cursing. The crystal hopped from her hand to Gabby, transforming into a mechanical toy cat as it touched the child's hand. She pointed to her guards, "Stay put. I'll be back."

"Mom!" Jeb said, jumping up to give her a hug. "Be careful."

DG smiled warmly, "I will. Thirteen hours at most, Jeb. Have fun, and please try not to get into trouble."

"I can promise to try, but I'll make no guarantees," the boy replied cheekily.

She suppressed a grin at his words but the tug was getting too strong to ignore. With barely a thought she transformed her clothing into full Goblin Throne Regalia and nodded to Wyatt before disappearing.

The Cain clan stared at the empty air she left behind her in shock and confusion.

* * *

Babette and Elliot cornered their brother as soon as they could. He was standing outside the house, watching the children play with the mechanical cat.

"I see you're robbing the cradle now, Wyatt," Elliot commented as if he were stating that the clouds looked like rain in the near future.

"What's that supposed to mean, Elliot?" Wyatt asked, keeping his eyes focused on his son as he played with his cousins.

"You know exactly what it means. How old is she anyway? Fifteen, sixteen?"

"Seventeen," he replied, knowing it was what his siblings wanted and wouldn't let him forget the age difference between him and his bond mate.

"That's rich, Wyatt," Babette shot at him, "You're acting like fifteen annuals in age difference doesn't matter. And she's only what -- four annuals older than Jeb? And he calls her _Mother_? Really, Wyatt, I expected more than this from you."

"So it's perfectly acceptable for you, Babette, to take up with a man twenty-five annuals your senior, but for Wyatt to become bound to a princess fifteen annuals his junior it's a crime?" a new voice commented.

The three turned to find Amy standing there, her arms crossed and a glare on her face. "Mighty hypocritical of you, don't you think? At least he's marrying DG. Which is more than you ever did with your man."

Babette glared right back at her sister, "Stay out of this, Amy."

"Why should I? It seems more of a family debate than anything else." She moved to stand beside her favorite brother. "Besides, I like DG."

"You would," Elliot sneered.

"She understands things at seventeen that you won't understand even at seventy, Elliot," Amy responded sadly. "And she loves Jeb as if he were her own."

"But he's _not_," Babette ground out. "He'll never be her son."

That got a reaction out of Wyatt. With quick movements he strode over to his younger sister and gave her the same look he gave misbehaving guards. "You can say what you like about my relationship with DG. But you will _never_ again say that Jeb is not her son. He is more her son than he ever was Adora's, and she has been a better mother to him than I could have ever asked for. Her _age_ does _not_ matter. And the next time you even look at her funny, I'm going to let Ding, Bing, and Ring do what they've been wanting to since your first comment about goblins."

Babette glanced at the three goblin guards who were playing with the children. "So they are evil."

"No," Wyatt shook his head, "But they are very territorial."

He stepped back to his place by the house, his eyes going back to watch his son play. "Oh, and Elliot?"

"Yes, Wyatt?" the younger man asked.

"Don't try to touch her. Those three have no qualms about castration."

* * *

By the time Azkadellia was set to meet with her mother, she had cried all her tears and there was no visible trace of her inward turmoil.

Not that her appearance mattered too much since she was meeting with a group of dignitaries from the Northern Guild, which was made up primarily of Viewers.

She hoped that she'd be able to see Lylo before the meeting started and perhaps get him to shield her mind for her.

"Princess." Looked like her luck was holding up

With a smile Az turned around to find Lylo approaching with a younger Viewer at his side. She curtseyed as she greeted him, "Lylo. It is very good to see you well."

Lylo bowed to her, as did the other Viewer. Her long time friend took her hand, his gift washing over her in steady waves as she felt despair loosen its hold on her heart. "This is Lylo's brother. Raw. Come to meet Princess and learn from Lylo."

Azkadellia smiled at the younger Viewer, offering him her hand in a gesture of trust. "I'm pleased to meet you, Raw. I hope you find your time here beneficial to your training."

Raw took her hand in both of his, closing his eyes. When he opened them again, his eyes were knowing of her sorrow. She put on a brave face before he could say anything. "Shall we go then? We don't want you to be late to your first Council meeting."

Raw nodded, sadly, "Yes, Princess."

"We talk later," Lylo said to both his brother and his princess.

"Of course, Lylo," Azkadellia said, knowing neither Viewer would let her get away without talking about it now that they knew.

* * *

A/N: Come on, who's your favorite Bookie? Come on ... say it. Or I'll start singing "Don't You Want Me?" by the Human League. We all know that nobody wants that, now do they?


	21. No Life Wife Without Wife

DG followed the summons along with the goblin horde to find herself standing in a darkened room that could only be described as shabby. The goblins took the baby that had been wished away and left their princess to deal with the mortal who had said the words.

She looked around, her eyes able to see in the dark just as well as if it were high noon. There, in the corner, huddling in onto herself and shaking, was a girl-child of no more than thirteen annuals.

The Goblin Princess called a crystal ball to her and filled it with light.

"Who are you?" the girl asked as DG crouched in front of her. Fear laced her words as she tried to shrink into the wall.

"The one you called to," DG replied calmly, her face kind as it revealed nothing. There were tear tracks on the girl's face, and bruises that were just starting to appear.

"Is Hope safe?" she asked, her eyes wide.

"The baby is safe," DG replied with a nod. "She will be well cared for and loved. _Wanted_."

Tears welled in the girl's eyes again as she looked away from the beautiful vision before her. "Thank you. She shouldn't have to live like this."

DG heard shouting from the hallway and sounds she could only describe as violent. Anger welled inside her that anyone would treat a child with such disregard. She stood to her full height, added to by the heel on the boots she wore. Holding out her free hand, DG offered, "Come. Join us."

The girl's frightened eyes flickered from the door to the shabby bedroom to the hand offered to her. When she looked back at DG's face, there was terrible hope in her eyes. "Why?"

There was no hesitation as the princess responded, "Because you called her your Hope. And no child deserves to live in fear. Come where you are _wanted_."

"Wanted," the girl said, her voice barely audible. Without thinking any more about what she was doing, nor caring about the consequences, she took the offered hand and let the chips fall where they may.

Before transporting the two of them back to the Labyrinth, DG threw the orb at the door, embedded within it a spell that would cause the perpetrator of the crimes against this girl and the baby to suffer untold mental horrors for the rest of his days.

Back safely on Goblin soil, within the Castle Beyond the Goblin City, DG escorted the girl child to the infirmary and left her in the very capable hands of Chief Healer Leena Paisley.

"What's your name?" DG asked her as they walked.

"Susan. What's yours?"

"Crown Princess Dorothy Galinda Susanna Ozma Maria Gale." She smiled at the shock on Susan's face, "Most people call me DG."

"Sweet Lurline, child, they already brought me a newly born babe with more bruises than I've seen in annuals," Leena said as she saw the state Susan was in. "Sit her down, your highness. I'm going to have to look her over."

Susan thought that Lena looked like a favorite spinster aunt ... with pointed ears and eyes much larger and blacker than a human's could be. There was not a speck of white in her orbs.

"Don't be afraid, Susan," DG said, patting her hand as Lena started looking her over. "This is Leena Paisley. She's a healer -- she'll take good care of you."

"Wha-what is she?"

It was Leena who answered, "My father was a Gnome -- that's where I get my eyes. The rest comes from my mother -- an Elf. Now lie back so I can see to your injuries." The stunned girl did as she was told, letting this fairytale creature treat her wounds, both the old ones and the new ones.

DG placed a hand on Leena's shoulder, "I'm off to find Uncle to report ... then I have a group of in-laws I have to go back to."

"You don't sound too pleased with that prospect," Leena said with a light smile.

The princess smiled back at her friend, "They have many misconceptions about the Labyrinth, Leena. It's difficult to control my temper."

"You've taken down a castle full of enraged suitors, lass," the healer replied, her eyes kind as she gripped DG's hand firmly before turning back to her patient. "After that your Wyatt's family should seem like a piece of cake."

She laughed as she began to walk away, "Don't let Uncle hear you using that phrase. I heard he had it banned after Aunt Sarah's first visit here."

"Aye, he did. Doesn't stop me from saying it."

It didn't take DG long to find her Uncle in the throne room with Sarah. She cleared her throat loudly before entering fully. Watching them pull apart like that was quite humorous and entirely worth having to miss an hour or so with Wyatt's family.

"I received a Summons, Uncle," DG said, her voice grave. "Any idea why?"

Jareth frowned, "I've not been overly busy, DG. However, with recent events ... the Labyrinth may have decided its time for you to share in the duties of the crown."

The princess nodded once. "What recent events?"

Jareth and Sarah shared a look but it was the latter that replied, "I'm pregnant."

DG moved to embrace her aunt, "Congratulations, Sarah. May your child have your good heart and my uncle's wit."

"Well said," Jareth's voice was filled with love.

"And now, I believe it's time I get back to my own bond mate so he doesn't have to deal with his family alone," DG said with a smile.

"That bad, eh?" Sarah asked with a wince.

DG shook her head, "The children like me at the very least ... and I'm pretty sure that some of his sisters like me, but there are a few that I'm concerned about."

She bent and gave her uncle a kiss on the cheek, "Be good. I'll be back in the Labyrinth in a few weeks."

"Try not to castrate anyone while you're gone, Starlight."

She smirked before opening a portal to take her back to Wyatt's side, "Only if they deserve it."

* * *

Millie commandeered her son soon after he made sure Babette and Elliot knew how things were going to be. She linked arms with him and they took a little walk to the stables to talk around the horses that they both loved so much.

"She's a real spitfire, isn't she?" Millie asked, watching her son's reaction carefully.

Wyatt grinned softly, "That she is. You should have seen the way she dealt with some of the nobles that didn't want to listen to her or her uncle."

"I can imagine."

They were silent for a time, each enjoying the beauty of the animals in their own way.

"She mentioned something about a squirrel," Millie finally said. "Care to tell me about it?"

Wyatt blushed crimson, fixing his eyes on the brown gelding in front of him as he told his mother, "It was while I was at the boarder helping rescue Az -- Princess Azkadellia. Jackson sent some men after DG." He paused, but his mother didn't prompt him, knowing her son would tell the tale in his own time.

"Those three goblins out there disabled and castrated most of her attackers by the time I got there."

"Most?"

He gave her a hard look, "The last one became very well acquainted with my fists. We didn't kill any of them, but Ding, Bing, and Ring took great pleasure in castrating each one of the men before they were sent back to Jackson's camp."

Millie nodded, unsure whether to laugh at the humor of it, or be scandalized and demand that the three playful beings stop playing with her grandchildren. She decided to stick with the first reaction.

"I didn't know why at the time, but even then I was very protective of DG. Possessive, even. Since she was attacked while I wasn't there, I decided that I'd just have to stay with her as much as possible. If not in my line of sight, at least within hearing range.

"Anyway, she needed to take a bath at the lake and I was keeping watch. ..." he trailed off, knowing that his mother could fill in the blanks.

"He was so trigger happy he nearly shot a squirrel that was scurrying up a tree," DG said from the entrance to the stables.

Wyatt gave her a look filled with so many emotions Millie couldn't name them all. He took in her appearance quickly, noting that she was once again dressed in the long pencil skirt, waist cincher, and linen shirt. Gone were all traces of the Goblin Throne's Crown Princess. "No runner, then?" he questioned with a frown.

DG shook her head, "No. The child and the baby she wished away are with Leena, having their injuries cared for." She wasn't sure how to put to words what the situation had been, but luckily she didn't have to. "The _man_ responsible is currently suffering from what the Other Side will call a psychotic break."

"And what would you call it?" Millie asked.

A bitter smile crossed DG's features for a brief second as she looked at her mother-in-law, "Justice."

The older woman nodded, "Good. It's always comforting to know there is one less child abuser out there, on either side of the rainbow."

DG went willingly into Wyatt's arms, letting his arms chase away the demons that those two children had introduced into her soul. Millie watched in fascination and understanding as the two interacted. So this was what they were together. She wouldn't interfere with that, nor condemn it for any reason. Not if it gave both of them such peace, and gave Jeb a mother who loved him unconditionally.

"Did you find out why you got the Summons?" Wyatt asked after DG had settled.

She shook her head, "Not really. Uncle thinks it's the Labyrinth's way of training me. The last piece of the puzzle so I'll be prepared to take the throne when the time comes."

"A bit early for that, ain't it?" Wyatt asked, cocking an eyebrow up in curiosity.

DG grinned, "Not really. Sarah's pregnant."

"That's great," Wyatt said with a grin.

"You do realize that it's just one more celebratory ball we'll have to throw before the annual is out, right?" DG asked, her own eyebrow quirked up in amusement. "As happy as I am that my Uncle and Sarah are having a baby, I'm none to pleased with the idea of another petticoat monstrosity."

"They're not that bad," he protested even as he winced at the idea of an overly starched dress uniform.

Her incredulous look spoke volumes to Millie, "Have you even _seen_ what they want me to wear for Az's wedding? It's wider than one of those trucks we came in!"

Millie snorted, unable to stop herself. DG grinned, laughing herself. "Perhaps _you_ can help me talk some sense into those seamstresses, Millie? I'm sure you've got a will of iron to raise this one."

"That she does," Wyatt said, grinning at his mother and his bond mate. "And the best mug lug this side of the rainbow."

"Really?" DG asked.

"He's exaggerating," Millie protested with a mock glare to her son. "It's not that good."

"I've found that Wyatt only exaggerates when his family is being discussed," DG told the older woman.

Millie smiled at that, "All too true. Especially Jeb's accomplishments."

A flicker of pride flashed through DG's eyes at the mention of the boy. "Did Wyatt tell you about the time that Jeb rescued the chef's daughter from the wolf pack?"

Wyatt groaned playfully as they started back to the house, "Now you've done it, Mother. If there's one person who likes to boast about Jeb more than I do it's this one right here."

Millie just laughed heartily. "No, actually, I haven't heard that one yet."

"Well, it all started with a chocolate cake that Jeb knew he was _not_ supposed to touch ..."

* * *

Ambrose watched his princess throughout the meeting, noting how she seemed to cling to the Viewer Lylo. Something was wrong with her. He didn't know what, but he knew that Lylo was protecting her mind from the other Viewers so they would not be sucked into her sorrow.

After the Council meeting was over, and many more congratulations had been given to the Crown Princess on her upcoming marriage, Ambrose made an executive decision to follow the princess as she left with the two Viewers, Lylo and his brother Raw.

"Rosie?" Ambrose asked softly when he caught up with the three.

Az looked back at her mother's advisor and attempted to give him a small smile, "I'm fine, Ambrose."

"I don't think so, Rosie," Ambrose responded, his face baring no argument, "Otherwise you wouldn't have two Viewers shielding your thoughts from the others. And you wouldn't look like you were about to go to attend your own funeral rather your wedding."

Az shook her head, fighting back a fresh wave of sorrow. "It's not something I feel particularly comfortable discussing, Ambrose ... especially with a man."

He looked up and down the corridor before giving her a glare, "Your sister isn't here, Rosie, so it looks like you're stuck with the only alternative. I'm not exactly your average man."

She bit back a snort at that, "That's true, Ambrose, but I'm not even sure what ..."

"So then we sit in your room while you rant like your sister does. It'll do your heart good to let it all out."

"Ambrose right," Raw rumbled. "Strange man, but right. Not good for heart to conceal so much sorrow. Must let go."

Az hung her head, defeated, "I can't fight both of you. Come on. I'll tell you what happened."

* * *

"Explain to me this bonding you two have," Gwen asked, her curiosity getting the better of her about halfway through an excellent supper of roast deer and mug lug.

"I don't really understand it, either, sis," Wyatt said, smirking as he turned to his bond mate, "DG?"

DG looked up from her plate to find everyone's eyes fixed on her, waiting for her to speak and explain the bonding. "What? Just because I'm the princess I'm supposed to know these things?"

"Are you saying you _don't_?" Wyatt teased.

"Of course I do," DG frowned, "And so do you, Mr. Don't-Ask-Me- Questions." Someone snorted at Wyatt's new nickname, but DG just continued, "The bonding is a bit complex, but there's a poem that explains the purpose well:

"_Between the Land and People there be_

_A Keeper in whom the power all see_

_Kept safe in the Guardian's embrace_

_With love, only to look upon his face_

_Land, Keeper, Guardian, three as one_

_Safe keep the People, the Darkness, and the Sun._"

"Pretty," Jael said with a soft lilt in her voice. "But that still doesn't really explain what the bonding is."

"The bonding is how the three become one," DG explained, her eyes locking with the others as she spoke. "When I was five the Labyrinth chose me and bound herself to me." A smile crept to her face as she thought about the day she was wished away, "And then, using its own judgment and criteria, it marked Wyatt. However, in the end, it was his choice to enter into the bonding."

She smirked at him, "It wasn't actually completed until a little over an annual ago."

Elliot choked on a piece of deer meat. "_What_?"

DG grinned at his reaction, "A bonding is completed by a _kiss_. Nothing more."

"But what does it mean?" Gwen questioned, still unsure.

"It means that I'm the Voice for the Labyrinth to the People, and Wyatt is the Voice of the People to the Labyrinth. The Labyrinth chose us both, marking us, but it was our own decisions to make it permanent."

"Permanent?"

The princess looked at her bond mate before turning to look at Gwen. "There's a reason the bonding is uncommon. It can't be broken -- even by death."

* * *

A/N: I just love this new breakdown of visitors by country feature FF has now. So this chapter is dedicated to those of you reading in Ireland. Why? Because I said so.

Oh, and those of you in the States: I'm guessing this chapter is one of the things you're thankful for this year.


	22. Unique Is My Dove

"And that's when I knew that I loved him but couldn't marry him," Az told the three men, her eyes distant as she caressed the compass in her hands.

Ambrose stood and started pacing. "There has to be a way," he mumbled as he made his way from one end of the sitting room to the other.

"There's not, Ambrose," Az cried, "I have to marry the Duke -- the kingdom needs his money. It could save the farmers."

Ambrose shook his head, "Not about that, Rosie. Of course you'll marry ..." he trailed off, stopping dead in his tracks. The gleeful smile on his face caused Az to worry for a moment before he rushed to her side, "Of _course_ you'll marry the Duke. But there's nothing in the laws that says you can't take a second consort."

"_What_?" Az nearly yelled, jumping to her feet. "Do you know what he'd have to give up to do that?"

"Do you think he wouldn't?" Ambrose countered. His hands migrated to his hips, "Sometimes the prince you marry is not the same man as the knight you spend your days loving, Rosie!"

"But ... a _lover_?" she said the word as if it were infected and might contaminate her being.

"No," Ambrose replied with a firm shake of his head, "A second consort. You can't marry him unless the Duke dies, but there is nothing in the laws that say that you can only give the consort ring to your husband."

Az sat down again, her mind numb with the realization of what Ambrose was saying. Have both of them? Adrian's love, and the Duke's coffers. The hope of it almost suffocated her.

"Princess too happy for words now," Raw said with a gentle smile. "Not thought possible. Have love and do duty for kingdom."

"Yes, but will the O.Z. accept it?" Ambrose questioned, stopping and furrowing his brow. That was the one flaw in his brilliant plan: if the O.Z. didn't accept Az's decision to have two consorts then everything was for naught. The Land had the final say in things like that.

Lylo hummed, his eyes closed. "O.Z. pleased with suggestion. Not like Princess being sad."

"Really?" Az asked, her curiosity piqued at that revelation.

Lylo nodded, "O.Z. love Princess. Why want Princess sad? O.Z. will convince Queen this path best."

It was as if the weight of the world had been lifted from her heart and her tears, this time, were out of joy and relief.

* * *

DG could feel the joy Azkadellia was feeling through the pendant she wore. Wyatt and she had just gotten back to the inn, leaving Ding, Bing, and Ring with Jeb at his grandparent's house where he insisted he just _had_ to spend the night.

Touching a mirror, DG hoped Az was close to a reflective surface. "Az?" she called out.

"Deej?" Az sounded happy to hear from her. "You'll never guess what Ambrose found out!"

"Then tell me," DG insisted, pleased her sister was no longer dreading her upcoming wedding.

She listened with rapt attention as Azkadellia explained the plan that Ambrose had come up with, and DG had to admit that she found no fault in it.

"Do you want me to tell Adrian?" she asked, a smirk quirking her mouth up mischievously.

Az shook her head with a grin, "No. I think I'll surprise him when you get back next week. Only fair."

"Only fair for whom?"

"Well, you got to tell Wyatt in your own dear time, planning the perfect way to do it. Only fair I get to do the same thing. Besides, Ambrose started making some comments about wondering whether Adrian has a brother that I want to look into before anything is said."

DG grinned at her sister, "I'd like to point out that my plans were foiled by a mouthy dragon. And I heard something about Zero having two brothers -- one older, one younger. Looks like our Glitch can have his pick of which one."

There was a glint in Az's eye as she replied, "I'll have to keep that in mind. You know he hates it when you call him that, Deej."

The younger princess smirked, "With the way the court gossips talk, he's lucky that's the only nickname I gave him. He's got twinkle-toes."

Az snorted in a very un-Princess like fashion and replied, "That's our Glitch for you. Oh, and Deej?" At DG's curious look Az asked, "What's stopping you from taking control of your relationship now?"

"Azkadellia Rosa Lurlina Gabriella Catalina!" DG said in mock horror.

Az shrugged, "What? It's not like you've been subtle about it in our conversations, DG."

DG thought about it before she grinned, letting her humor show through and dropping the act of the scandalized princess. "Good night, Az."

"Tell Wyatt I said hello," she replied with a grin before disconnecting the link. It was good to be back.

* * *

It didn't take DG long to conjure up the garments that she wanted: a simple white silk nightgown cut to show off her figure in a way that would hopefully have Wyatt salivating and ready to end this dance they'd been doing for the past year.

Really, what man in his right mind would not want to sleep with his bonded for a whole annual after the bonding was completed? It was unnatural and it ended tonight.

Dressed comfortably in the nightgown, with a silken robe pulled tight over it, and bare feet, DG transported herself to Wyatt's room, knowing that he was alone and the guards asleep in their own shared rooms. Show time. She just hoped there wasn't an audience.

"Darlin', what are you doin' here?" Wyatt asked when he saw her.

She took in his half undressed form. Apparently she had interrupted him in the middle of changing, his shirt was unbuttoned and his feet bare on the soft carpet.

With no small amount of effort, DG tore her eyes away from the tantalizing flesh she saw revealed beneath the shirt and met his eyes with a slight smile, "I wanted to say goodnight, Wyatt."

He gave her an appraising look as he stepped forward slightly. She didn't budge from her spot on the floor, no matter how much her instincts were telling her to back up. "You ... wanted to say _goodnight_?" he asked for clarification.

"That's right," she smiled with him, holding her head up defiantly.

Wyatt leaned in to whisper in her ear, "I don't believe you."

Her eyes widened in innocence as he leaned back just enough to look into her face. "Why, Mr. Cain, have I ever lied to you?"

He frowned slightly, his eyes glinting and betraying the lust he felt coursing through his system. "You don't want me to answer that, Miss Gale."

She stepped back and he advanced, not allowing her to put very much space between them. "Mr. Cain, what kind of girl do you take me for?"

His smile was feral, "The kind that comes into a man's bedroom at night, unannounced and in a see through nightgown, Miss Gale."

"Just your bedroom," she whispered back, tilting her head back so she could see into his face.

"You enjoy testing my restraint, don't you?" his voice was gruff with the will power it took not to grab her right then and there and claim her in the most primal way imaginable.

"Actually, I'm hoping your restraint will give out," her voice was soft and airy. The perfect combination to nearly send him over the edge she was trying to nudge him over.

He bent his head down and captured her lips in a kiss that was not sweet or innocent or chaste but rather all the primal, passionate desires and fire that held their souls captive.

"Thought you wanted to wait 'til after the weddin'," he mumbled after breaking the kiss, punctuating each new word with a kiss on her jaw.

She grabbed at his hair, pulling him away so she could look into his eyes. "Trust you. Want you. Need you now. Always wanted you."

His eyes dilated with desire at her words. Never before had a woman shown him that much trust in her eyes, nor that much need for him. It was the most heady aphrodisiac he had ever encountered and he had no desire to deny its power over his soul.

"Are you sure?" he asked, giving her one last chance to back out and wait.

DG growled, using the wall as leverage so she could wrap her legs around Wyatt's waist and kiss him for all she was worth. Damn right she was sure. She'd been _sure_ for the past freakin' annual!

"In that case," Wyatt said, not bothering to finish his sentence as he turned and carried his bond mate to the bed, depositing her on top of it easily.

* * *

"Captain!" one of the younger guards burst into the room Zero was sharing with another guard who was currently in the common room of the inn attempting to procure a decent breakfast for the lot of them.

"What?" Zero barked at him.

"I can't find the Princess, sir," the guard said, sweating profusely at his own words. "She's not in her room."

Zero fought the urge to roll his eyes, "Did you check _General Cain's _room?" Was the man daft or did he just not know what the bonding meant?

"Why would she be ... oh," the guard finally understood, after a well aimed glare from Zero, just what he was insinuating. "No sir, I haven't checked the General's room, sir."

Zero suppressed a growl as he rose from his seat, fully dressed, "I'll do it, Collins. Wouldn't want you causing any more of an incident than you have so far."

"Cain?" Zero asked as he knocked on the door. "Princess? Wakey-wakey."

"Go to hell, Zero," a distinctly feminine voice groaned from the other side of the door.

"That's not nice, Princess. Besides, if you don't get up I'm afraid Collins might think you're not in there and he should search the whole town looking for you because you didn't sleep in your own bed last night."

"Collins?" a grumpy male voice nearly shouted.

"The young one with the goatee, Cain."

He heard mumbled groans as the couple got their bodies moving again after a night doing Ozma knew what. "I'll give it half an hour before Collins decides to break down the door making sure the Princess is all right."

* * *

DG groaned and flopped back down on the bed, snuggling firmly into Wyatt's side. "I don't wanna get up."

Wyatt chuckled, running his hand up and down her side soothingly, "Neither do I, but if we don't ... do you want to call Collins' bluff? I sure don't."

"Fine," she groused as she sat up and swung her legs to rest on the floor. She looked at her nightgown on the floor, a rip running right down the middle. "I don't think I'm going to be wearing that again."

Wyatt snuck up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, peering around her shoulder to look at the ruined garment. "I like it better that way. It's my favorite one of your nightgowns."

"Do you hate my nightgowns that much?" DG asked with a grin as she leaned back in his arms and looked up at him.

He gave her a serious look, "I only hate those nightgowns you took to wearin' over the winter. Hideous things. I just don't like any of your nightgowns." One of his hands squeezed her bare flesh, "Much prefer how you're dressed now."

"I'll take that under advisement. Now, I believe you said something about getting up."

With a small amount of effort DG called another outfit to herself and dressed in the simple blue linen shirt and deep honey colored breaches and matching vest. On top of the breaches she pulled on her favorite pair of riding boots.

By the time she was ready to go, her hair pulled back in a simple braid, Wyatt was dressed in a relaxed outfit that made DG's mouth water.

Together they walked out the door and down the stairs to face what would prove to be an interesting, if awkward, breakfast with their ten guards.

* * *

A few of the men felt bold enough to start teasing the princess about her sleeping arrangements the night before and it didn't take long for DG to get fed up with it, as good natured as it was.

They wanted to tease? She'd show them tease.

"Gentlemen, I must warn you," she said calmly as she buttered a piece of bread, "That if you continue discussing this I will be forced to enter into a detailed explanation of the biology behind sexual intercourse to such a degree that none of you will be able to so much as masturbate without having thoughts about atoms and the chemical bonds broken and formed in the creation of a human life."

The men stopped talking abruptly and stared at her as she tore off a small piece of the bread and popped it into her mouth, calm and cool as a cucumber.

"You're joking ... please, tell me she's joking," one of the men said, panic lacing his words as he turned toward Zero and Wyatt.

Wyatt shook his head, "Wish I could. I walked in in the middle of her explaining it to Jeb two months ago."

The innkeeper's daughter approached with their breakfast and the conversation stopped as DG thanked her with a smile.

"I want to go to the market today and browse through the local wares," DG said as she stirred some honey into her oatmeal.

"Please don't tell me I have to go with you," Wyatt asked.

"No, your mother wants to give you something and I believe Jael wanted to talk to you without me there to interrupt," she smirked, turning her attention to the ten guards sitting with them. "I think I'll take Zero, Collins, and Smith. Leave three here to make sure nothing happens, and you get to take four with you."

"Why do I get four and you only get three?"

"Because you'll have Jeb with you."

"But he already has three of his own."

"I could just make it an order, Wyatt. I still outrank you."

Zero tried his best to swallow a grin at their bickering. They sounded like children.

* * *

A/N: Ambrose's line about princes and knights may sound familiar because it's almost word for word from badgirl2bad4u's wonderful smutty fic "Naughty or Nice." It's from the "Naughty" chapter.

Since it's Thanksgiving here in the States I thought I might tell you what I'm thankful for.

Hmm. ... What _am_ I thankful for?

I am thankful that the two pumpkin pies I just made didn't burn. Why two pies? One uses Splenda and Greatly Reduced Sodium Salt, while the other one uses regular sugar and table salt. For my Grandpa who is on a low sodium, no sugar diet.

What are you thankful for? I know it's this chapter getting posted while you slept so that it was waiting for you when you woke up ... ehr ... checked your email. Hope it helps if you have to endure Family Drama today. Thanksgiving. I'm thankful that I only have to deal with two relatives this year -- two relatives I actually get along with.

Not sure when the next chaper is coming out. But this story is definately winding down. There is a sequel forming in my mind, but I won't even try to start writing it (or the three+ other _Tin Man_ stories floating around in my head) until after finals week ... so ... about three weeks.

I will say this though: anything's game in any future story. Here are some of the plot bunnies that attacked me if you want to try your hand at writing a few of them: 1) What if Az and DG aren't really sisters? 2) What if there was someone else with DG when the Longcoats attacked her house and she was thrown into the twister? 3) What if DG was able to temporarily bring Adora back from the dead?

Tata!


	23. We Never Really Say Goodbye

In the end DG ended up taking four of the guards with her, and Wyatt took two, leaving four at the inn to make sure no one tried to steal anything.

"You know, I'm not quite sure how he managed to talk me into this," DG commented to Zero as she looked at the other three men behind them. "_Four_ guards to go _shopping_."

He felt his mouth turn up in a small smile, "That's what you get being a princess. Me, I do my shopping alone. It's better that way."

"Don't let Wyatt hear you talking like that, Adrian," DG quirked a smile, "He might think you're giving me _ideas_. Really, I haven't been allowed to go exploring by myself since I was five."

"What happened?" he asked curiously as they stopped before a shop and DG examined something in the display window.

"The fountain."

"Ah. The fountain. You know, I never did hear that story."

"And you won't, if I have anything to say about it," DG replied with another smirk as she entered the shop, knowing Zero would follow, along with one of the other guards, leaving the other two outside to guard the entrance and glare at anyone suspicious looking.

As the princess shopped, Zero looked around at the wares of the store, and the other patrons, keeping tabs on where the escape route was if needed, and where everyone else was. It was just what he needed to get Cain pissed off at him for letting his fiancée get attacked while shopping with four guards.

He tried not to get Cain pissed off at him as much as possible.

* * *

Duke Arrington Sommerfield IV walked briskly down the corridor, toward his fiancée's receiving room. A part of him was very curious as to why Princess Azkadellia wished to see him, but another part of him was focused completely on what he had to tell her. He had been planning on waiting until after the honeymoon, but his mother's motto was "There's no time like the present" and so it seemed he was going to tell her after she revealed her news.

"Come," a soft voice said after he knocked on the door. He walked inside, leaving his guards outside with the Princess's own guards. She looked like a picture sitting draped over the settee with her hair down in cascading curls that perfectly accented her pale blue gown.

There was a book in her hands that she set down as he entered. "Your grace, thank you for arriving so promptly," Azkadellia said formally as her maid set down a tea service and fixed a cup for the Duke. The princess arose from her seat and allowed her fiancé to kiss her cheek before they both sat down again.

"Your highness," he replied in a rich baritone. "You look lovely today, as always. Just like an angel, my dear." His eyes searched hers, wondering what was on her mind.

Their pleasantries continued until the maids was out of the room and they were left alone. Azkadellia threw out a silencing spell and let her mask drop slightly at the same time as the Duke's did.

"What is it, my dear? Your note sounded urgent," Arrington asked, a frown creasing his brow.

The princess nodded, refusing to meet his imploring gaze, "It is. However, it's not an easy topic for me to discuss. Even with you, your grace."

"I would have thought," Arrington began, "That with the wedding only two months away we could have moved past such formalities, Princess Azkadellia. We are, after all, expected to share a bed."

"That's why I wanted to talk to you, Arrington," her voice was shallow, as if she spoke louder she was afraid the walls would hear and clamor against her.

Arrington raised his eyebrows in shock, "I had wanted to discuss it with you, as well, Azkadellia."

At that she looked at him, fully taking in how nervous he appeared and how unprepared either of them were for this conversation. "Please, Arrington, speak first. I find words escaping me at the moment."

Arrington looked down at his hands, unsure how to begin. "I'm not sure how much about my personal life you've been told, Azkadellia ... but I've been in love with a woman and carrying on a relationship with her for the past five annuals."

Her eyes turned into sharp slits, "When were you going to inform me that you had a mistress?"

"I just did," he replied calmly. "And I can only assume that you wanted to tell me of your intention of taking a lover after we wed." At her lack of a response he continued, "There's no shame in that, Azkadellia. I've made no secret of the fact that I do not love you -- just as you do not love me."

She opened her mouth to respond but he held up a hand to stop her, "We have become ... friends in the past months. And I believe quite firmly that we can correct the financial situation the crown is in at the moment." He reached over and grasped her hand, with a tight smile, "We will make a good team for this country, Princess. But that will never change our hearts."

"We will have to share a bed at some point, Arrington," Azkadellia said. "My first born will be heir to the throne and it would save a great deal of heartache if that child were yours."

"Surely whomever the father of your child is cannot matter," he replied, the conversation now turning a direction he at least new how to steer through.

She shook her head, "To most, it doesn't. But there are some ... it would just be better, Arrington."

They were silent for a time before she continued, discussing the situation as if they were discussing weather patterns, "The three days following the wedding ceremony are the proper time of the month for me, Arrington. We can do what we can physically, and then spend a month hoping and praying to Ozma and Lurline that it worked."

His hand tightened on hers, "To have one child together, and a friendship."

"I think you're right," she said, her voice barely above a whisper as she looked at him with wide eyes that showed him a form of love and companionship he could live with in a wife. "I think we're going to make a wonderful team for this kingdom."

* * *

"Really, Zero, I think you should get her this one," DG said a short while later at a different shop. She was pointing toward a bracelet that had a travel storm charm on it, surrounded on either side by a slipper, heart, scroll, and medal charms. It was supposed to represent the Four -- the original Slipper, Dorothy Gale; her Tin Man; the Scarecrow; and the Cowardly Lion.

He glared at her, "That would hardly be appropriate, Highness."

She put her hands on her hips and glared back at him, not caring that the shop keeper was watching them closely. Switching into the household Goblin language (which she knew quite well Zero was fluent in) DG responded, "Of course it would, Rian. If I told you why she probably wouldn't talk to me for a month. But it will be more than appropriate soon enough."

He responded in the same dialect, "I wish I could believe you, Thia. But rejection hardens a heart against hope. My heart is stone."

"Your heart will bleed, Rian," she replied, glaring slightly at the shortened form of her name. She hated it when he called her Thia, but no matter what she said he wouldn't stop. It was something she just had to live with. So she had started calling him Rian to try to piss him off into stop calling her Thia. It hadn't worked. In fact, the names had become a sort of bonding experience.

"What do you mean?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Not many know of it -- it hasn't been used since the days of my Great-Grandmother ... but there is a second consort ring."

"_What_?" in his shock he reverted back to the Ozarian language.

She didn't elaborate, just shrugged, "You heard me. Now buy her the damn bracelet."

DG didn't stop as she stalked out of the store and waited with her other guards, a smug smile on her face as they waited for Adrian to come out of the shop, a small box in his hand which he quickly pushed into his pocket. _Mission accomplished_.

* * *

Wyatt knew what his mother wanted to give him. It was something she'd promised him years ago, when he had married Adora -- but that marriage had happened and was over too quickly for her to finish making it and give it to him.

"When you told me you were marryin' a princess I had to expand it a bit," his mother said when he walked into the back room where she sat, holding a large, folded quilt in her lap. "Hope she won't mind ... I know it's not as fancy as what she's used to. Or you're used to, now."

Wyatt took the blanket from his mother reverently, knowing she'd spent countless hours sewing it together, the same way her mother and grandmother had done before her. A wedding quilt, with the love of the family and the gods to protect the newly married couple. "No," he replied reverently, "It's beautiful, Mom. She's gonna love it as much as I do."

He leaned in and hugged his mother tightly, "Thank you."

"I only wish I had time to make one when you first were married." She frowned and began to walk out of the room, arm in arm with her son, "At least I was able to finish Jeb's blanket in time."

"And he's slept with it every night since then."

"Lowry," Wyatt called to one of the guards that came with him as he and his mother stepped out of the house. He handed him the blanket carefully as the soldier came bounding up, "Put this in the car. _Carefully_. I see so much as a speck of dirt on that and you'll be bumped back down to civilian. Got it?"

"Yes, sir," the younger man said, a hint of fear clear in his voice. Sometimes General Wyatt Cain could be scary. Apparently getting laid didn't change that.

"If you're done terrorizing your guard, Wyatt, I want to talk with you about something," Jael said in a commanding tone that seemed to be an engrained Cain family trait.

Wyatt pecked his mother's cheek before going off to join his youngest sister. They linked arms and started walking away from the house. Clearly Jael didn't want their conversation overheard by prying ears -- namely, Babette's and Elliot's.

The pair walked for hours, catching up and reminiscing on times past when they had both been children. Growing up, the pair had been close, Wyatt letting Amy and Jael tag along sometimes when he went out, protecting them from the neighborhood punks. Especially protecting Jael.

In a small way DG reminded him of Jael. They were both very slight women, appearing frail and oh so breakable. The only difference was that due to health reasons Jael _was_ very frail and breakable. It was part of the reason she joined the service of Lurline at the temple.

That, and her gift for Dreams. She was a very good Dream Reader, and regularly had Dreams of her own that prophesied events to come, or gave clarity on events already past. That's what made her words to him even more important.

"I've been Dreaming about you, Wyatt," Jael said softly once she was sure no one was listening.

"What have you seen, Jael?" his brow furrowed in concern.

Her eyes turned the peculiar shade of silver that marked her gift. "I've seen happiness for you. She will give you three children to add to Jeb. And you will both love all four unconditionally. You will be good leaders for the Goblin Kingdom, brother."

"But?" Wyatt prodded, knowing there was a "but" coming up soon.

Jael took in a deep breath before she spoke, "Lurline has whispered to me that DG's work is not done. In this reality nor in another. There will come a time when both of you will be tested by separation and the flames of trials that are not yours to face. DG must fix mistakes that she never made in this life, but made in a past that never was, and a future that never will be."

Wyatt felt his heart race at that thought and grabbed Jael's shoulders to spin her around to face him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Her eyes welled up with tears as she shook her head slowly, "I don't know. That's what she whispered to me as I Dreamt of your happiness. You will not be without troubles, Wyatt, but you _will_ be happy."

Wyatt wasn't sure what to say as he released his vice grip, and walked back to the cabin with his sister at his side, silent in the face of the news she had just delivered.

* * *

"Will you be coming to the wedding?" DG asked that night as the clan again sat around the dining table for a supper of wonderful home cooked food.

"I'm afraid we're not sure how we'd get there," Jack hemmed and hawed for a moment.

"Don't worry about transportation. It's already taken care of, all you have to do is find out whether or not you can spare the time," DG replied with a reassuring smile.

Amy was intrigued, "How is it taken care of already?"

DG tilted her head as the family watched her, wondering what she was thinking. "I'm not quite sure how to explain it," she finally said. Turning to Amy she asked, "Do you know of the ability for reflective surfaces to connect to each other, do you not?"

At her nod, and the nods of others around the table, DG continued, "The invitation, if it's held in your hand on the correct day, will open a portal between either a mirror or a pond in your immediate surroundings and the Castle's Receiving Room. All you'll have to do is touch the surface -- be it the mirror or the pond."

"Handy," Hanah said with a slight smirk. "And it'll transport anyone who's holding the invitation?"

The princess struggled to contain herself at that thought. "No. It will only transport those whose names are written on the invitation." Her eyes flickered to Wyatt's before turning back to his sister, "Wouldn't want any unexpected guests."

"Of course we'll be there," Millie said with a smile, kicking her daughter under the table to get her to stop trying to pick apart her future sister-in-law. "I couldn't think of any place in the world we'd rather be."

* * *

"Darlin'?" Wyatt asked once they were back at Finaqua. DG turned to look at him as they walked toward the pond.

"Hmm?" she asked, happy and content with life and ready to spend all of her days in such bliss even though she knew it wasn't possible.

Wyatt's question brought that point home clearly, "What do you know of the past that never was and the future that never will be?"

DG tensed under his hands. They stopped walking and she looked up at him with big eyes, "Who told you about that?"

Trust. He had to trust her if he expected her to trust him. "Jael has Dreams. She said Lurline whispered something about it in her ear."

DG nodded, "When I found out that you were my bond mate," she explained, "I asked the Labyrinth why she chose you. She responded that although she could already sense the necessary elements without it, the majority of her decision was the past that never was and the future that never will be." She shook her head, "I'm not sure what it means."

He smiled at her, trying his best to reassure them both with his words, "I'm sure it's nothing. Come on, don't we have a report on the Other Side to read?"

DG grinned, giving him a quick kiss on his lips before they started walking back to the palace. "One of the perks of being the Goblin Princess, I guess. I got to keep current with popular culture on the Other Side. But you don't have to be there."

"And miss the chance to actually learn something and develop my own secret language with you?" he asked. "Never."

DG stopped walking and pulled him toward her arms. "You've been watching too many of those cop shows, cowboy."

* * *

Azkadellia walked through the orchard aimlessly, not really paying any attention to where she was going, nor to what she was even doing. Her movements were mechanical, her eyes seeming to wander around her surroundings but never really focusing on anything at all. Her thoughts were focused inward, on how exactly she planned to address the "current situation" with Adrian Zero.

Of course, her preoccupation with her thoughts caused her to run straight into the man they were focused so strongly upon.

"Ow. Watch out, Princess, you could hurt yourself," Zero said as he took hold of her arms, steadying her so she wouldn't fall.

Azkadellia's eyes locked on his, her heart beating as her mouth attempted to speak. Her body decided to forego words for the moment and she leaned in, her tongue eager to taste _him_.

He moaned against her mouth as he opened up to her, his grip changing from supportive to possessive as his arms wrapped around her warm body and brought her closer to him.

"I'm so sorry," she sighed as their kiss broke.

"For kissing me?" he asked, his heart hoping she said no, while his mind tried to prepare him for the inevitable rejection that always accompanied his feelings for Azkadellia.

Her hazy eyes locked with his as she shook her head, "No. I'm sorry I can't marry you. I'm sorry it took Ambrose to knock some sense into me. I love you, Adrian."

Adrian gathered her close again, pressing a kiss to the top of her head. "I love you, too, Az. I know you have to marry him. And I don't care. I want to be with you -- _any_ way that I can."

She pulled back slightly so she could look at him. Her eyes were full of wonder, "Do you mean that?"

"Always."

A small smile tugged at the corner of her mouth, "Then maybe everything really will turn out all right."

He smiled in response, bending down to capture her lips in another heartwarming kiss.

* * *

Nesa watched her daughters with their loves, from high up in the palace. Her face was drawn as she thought about the prophecy. She felt rather than heard her husband come up behind her and started speaking, her arms wrapped around herself as she revealed to her husband the other reason she had acted as she had all those annuals before:

"The majestic Queen of the O.Z. had two lovely daughters she. One to Darkness, she be drawn. One to Light, she be shown. Double eclipse it is foreseen, Light meets Dark in the Stillness between. But only one and one alone shall hold the Emerald and take the throne."

"Why haven't I heard that before, Nesa?" Ahamo asked as he stepped more fully into the room.

"I didn't think you should know, Ahamo," she replied, her voice drawn.

"You didn't -" he cut himself off as he walked to his wife's side, forcing her to look into his gaze. "They are our daughters, Nesa. What else haven't you told me? How long do we have until this double eclipse?"

Tears filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. "A little over three annuals."

"Where's the Emerald?"

"Safe. Hidden within the Grey Gale." Her eyes begged him to believe her, "I couldn't tell you, Ahamo. Please understand."

"I understand, Nesa," he replied, his voice sad. "I understand that you can't trust me and feel that you must keep secrets from me."

"Please, Ahamo. Let me explain why I didn't tell you."

He nodded curtly. He was her bonded, but that didn't mean that he had to always speak to her. She motioned that they should sit down.

Once the couple was seated, Nesa began to speak, "When DG was bound to the Labyrinth at such a young age I asked the O.Z. for answers. She told me it had to do with the past that never was and the future that never will be."

Ahamo furrowed his brow but Nesa held up a hand, "Please. I asked for an explanation and the O.Z. gave me something that has been plaguing my mind these past twelve annuals. She gave me the memories of the past that never was and the future that never will be. Terrible memories that cannot be taken away. Let me tell you what would have happened if our daughters had not destroyed the Witch that day, all those annuals ago, at Finaqua ..."

Fini ... or is it?

* * *

A/N: Now, before you start throwing rotten tomatoes at me, I'd like to point out that I already told you there is a sequel in the works. Brownie points if you guess what I plan to do!

Oh, and this chapter is dedicated to my readers in Japan and Australia. Thank you. ... Oh, and it's also dedicated to Cat Yuy, Queen Isabella, KLCtheBookworm, and Gotta Dance 88. Thank you.


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